Tiger Dragon
by loverstouch
Summary: HPDM SLASH In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursley to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet’s headline read ‘Boy who lived died in Death Eater attack’
1. unexpected visitors

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: PG-13 for now

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 1 - unexpected visitors**

/-

/-

/-

The bell rang.

"Boy!" Vernon Dursley's voice flew through the house of No. 4 Privet Drive. "Get the door!"

It rang again.

"Boy, get your lazy arse down here, and open the door!"

"Not even in the shower do I get any peace," Harry Potter muttered, storming down the stairs while fastening

"You're getting the carpet wet," his cousin stated, as he passed Harry on his way up to his room.

"Couldn't you have opened the damned door? You bloody well knew I would take a shower after you poured sauce all over me."

"Oops. I must have forgotten that." Dudley smirked and vanished up the stairs. Harry stared after him cursing under his breath, when the bell rang once again.

"BOY!"

"I'm there, I'm there," Harry shouted back. "You annoying pig," he added to himself, while he took the last few steps to the door, and opened it.

"BLOODY HELL!" Harry stumbled back and landed half sitting, half lying on the steps.

"Hello to you, too, Potter."

"_M-M-Malfoy?"_ Harry stuttered incredulously.

"Y-Y-Yes," Draco mocked, and stepped into the house followed by none other than-

"BLOODY FUCKING MURDER!" Harry bellowed, and crawled up the steps further without taking his eyes off the second intruder.

"Now I see what it is about him that fascinates you, Draco," Lucius Malfoy stated, silver-blue eyes wandering up and down Harry's now naked form. His towel lay forgotten at the foot of the stairs.

"What the fuck?" Harry's panic rose, as well as his anger, as he realized what Mr Malfoy was referring to. He stormed down the stairs, took his towel from the floor, and fastened it back around his waist.

Standing straight, he took a deep breath and looked up at the two Malfoys standing in front of him, who were smirking as only a real Malfoy could. This was an encounter you wouldn't wish even upon your worst 'Well, Voldemort wouldn't be too impressed by them, I think. But I bet even Snape would tuck his tail between his legs and hide in the darkest corner of the dungeons, that greasy git.' Harry smiled inwardly, and seized the opportunity to inspect his 'visitors' for a few seconds.

Mr. Malfoy was an aristocrat through and through. His posture was majestic, and his behaviour was of pure arrogance. He had silver-blue eyes, and white-blond hair which fell to the middle of his back. He was tall, maybe 6''2', and his never-ending smirk and piercing look underlined his cunning features.

Draco was a carbon copy of his father: same pale skin, same silver-blue eyes and white-blond hair, reaching just below his shoulders. He was mere inches smaller than his father, but his posture was the same aristocratic style. And like his father's was, his build was hidden under expensive looking robes. But Harry knew that under them was a body which could compete with that of a Greek sex god.

'Oh, get a grip, Potter. Why don't you just jump him here and now? Maybe Lucius will be kind enough to let you ravish his son before he kills you.' When Harry realized what he was doing, he shook his thoughts off, and concentrated on the task at hand. "What are-" But before he could finish his question, he was cut off by an angry voice coming from the kitchen.

"What is all this noise about, boy? Who is that?" Never in his life was Harry more grateful to see his Uncle Vernon coming out of the kitchen.

As one, the two Malfoys turned to Uncle Vernon with an expression of pure disgust on their faces. For a moment, Harry considered running to his room and grabbing his wand, but this scene was too fascinating to leave.

"Mr. Dursley, I assume?" Mr. Malfoy's voice made it quite plan that this Muggle was nothing but scum, in his opinion.

"Yes, that is I." Vernon wasn't sure what to think of the people standing in his hallway. They looked important, but something wasn't quite right about them. Did they wear robes? "And who, may I ask-"

"Ask what you wish, Dursley, but don't aspect an answer," Draco cut in, sounding just like his father.

'Like father, like son,' Harry thought, the corner of his mouth twitching up a bit into a small smile, but snorted nonetheless.

All three men looked at him for a second, then continued to stare at each other. But before Draco turned his head back to Vernon he winked, barely noticeably, at Harry.

'What the hell?' Harry's eyes widened in shock. 'What was that?' He stared at Draco, but the blond was still glaring at Uncle Vernon, who by now was as red as Ron Weasley's hair.

"You will what?" he bellowed angrily.

"We will take Mr. Potter with us, and you will pack one trunk each, and go on a trip to your sister Marge within the next thirty minutes," Mr. Malfoy said in an annoyed tone. Obviously, he wasn't used to saying the same thing twice. (The first time, Harry was too shocked about Draco's behaviour to notice anyone speaking.)

"Who do you thing you are, coming in my house and ordering my family to leave? You're as mad as all of your kind, you freak. Hat-"

"Imperio!" Mr. Malfoys cold voice cut Vernon off.

"Bloody hell," Harry whispered, horror-struck.

"What was that?" Vernon asked angrily. "You-You-"

"Hexed you? That's right," Draco said, helping Vernon form his sentence.

"How dare-" All fear forgotten, Vernon raised his hand and took a step forward, ready to slap Draco.

"Dursley." Vernon stopped dead at Mr. Malfoys voice. Harry let out a deep breath, not knowing he had been holding it. For a second he thought he saw Draco letting out a relieved sigh and taking a deep breath, but then he was his usual smirking self again.

'Could it be possible that for a split second Draco had feared a slap from Uncle Vernon?' Harry's eyes rested for a moment on Draco, but then his attention was back to Vernon and Mr. Malfoy.

"You will pack one trunk for each family member, and then you will drive to your sister and stay there the next few days. You have thirty minutes. Go!"

Vernon immediately called Petunia, who was waiting behind the kitchen door, where Harry had seen her shadow under the door - obviously eavesdropping - and the two of them walked up the stairs. As they passed Harry, Vernon grasped his arm and shoved him up the stairs.

"You heard him, boy. Go get dressed and bring your trunk to our room. You won't need it: we do." With another shove from Vernon, Harry stumbled up the stairs.

"No!" Harry heard Draco shout: concerned? They stopped, and turned around. Harry caught Draco's eyes. They held the eye contact for a few moments, with an expression Harry had never seen on him. Their eye contact broke when Lucius spoke.

"Mr. Potter won't pack a trunk, because he won't be going with you on this trip. But you won't take his trunk, either. Now go." Vernon pulled a confused looking Petunia with him, and disappeared to the upper floor. Then Lucius turned to Harry, who looked at him, puzzled. "Mr. Potter, you will go to your room, get dressed, get your wand, and come back down immediately." His demanding glare made Harry angry.

"What makes you believe I would follow your orders?" he asked, annoyed. Mr. Malfoy opened his mouth to answer him, but Harry cut him off. "Oh, and don't waste your time by casting an Imperius curse on me. You know very well that I can block it. I won't let you bring me to your excuse of a Lord without fighting."

"Do you believe we would let you get your wand if we wanted to bring you to Voldemort?" Harry looked at Draco, astonished. He didn't know which was the bigger surprise; that the two Malfoys wouldn't be taking him to Voldemort, or Draco calling the Dark Lord by his name.

"What do you want?" Harry asked, not sure whether or not he wanted to know the answer to his question.

"You-" Draco smirked, but was cut off by his father's cold and demanding voice.

"Draco! Go up with Mr. Potter, and help him pack his belongings."

"But you said-" Harry's confusion rose again. 'Hadn't he said that I can't take anything but my wand?'

"You have ten minutes. Meanwhile, I will see that the Dursleys won't remember our little visit."

"Come on, Potter." Draco grasped Harry's hand, and pulled him up the stairs. Harry walked with him, lost in his thoughts.

'What is going on here? The Malfoys taking me away from the Dursley's, but not to take me to Voldemort? Lucius Malfoy casting Imperius on Uncle Vernon to get him out of the house? And now I'm being pulled up the stairs by Draco Malfoy, who is holding my hand, to pack. Wait… Draco Malfoy is holding my hand?' With that realization, Harry shook off his hand.

"Shove it, Malfoy. I can go on my own."

"Is that so, Potter?" Draco asked innocently. "It took you a while to notice that, didn't it?" He winked at Harry, and moved on.

Just then Harry realized what he meant; they were already all the way up the stairs, and now Draco was standing in front of his room. He opened the door and turned his head back to Harry.

"Will you come on already, Potter?" He took a step inside, but poked his head out once again and smirked at Harry. "Or should I take you by the hand once again?"

Harry blushed. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath, while he walked into the room. He found Draco looking through his trunk when he entered the room.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He took Draco's arm and pulled him away from his trunk.

"Oh, I didn't know you liked it rough, Potter. You just ha-"

"Shut up, Malfoy. Get out."

"I don't think so."

"I have to get dressed."

"Well, go on." Draco smirked at Harry's astonished face. "You don't think I'll let you alone in this room to do god knows what, do you? I'm not daft, Potter."

"Really?" Harry asked innocently. Draco chose to ignore this comment. He walked to the cupboard, and began to rummage through Harry's clothes.

"Urgh, Potter; do you really wear that?" Disgusted, Draco held out some of Dudley's old hand-me-downs.

"Unfortunately, yes. But I will just pull on some of my Hogwarts robes, now."

"No, you won't."

"Why not?"

"They might know that something's missing."

"Who might know?"

"Never mind. Didn't you have other clothes as well? In Hogwarts you wore those blue, washed-out jeans with that hole on the left knee, and a green t-shirt. Where are they? I don't see them in here."

"Why do you know what clothes I have, and where, exactly, they are torn?"

"Believe it or not, but there are more interesting things about you than that ugly scar on your forehead." Draco's eyes wandered over Harry's body.

"Like what?" Harry asked, surprised. But there was a bit teasing in his voice which pulled Draco back to reality.

"Like the fact that the rest of your body is unmarked, and therefore more than enough places for me to hex you. Now get dressed."

"Turn around," Harry demanded.

"For god's sake, Potter. Not fifteen minutes ago I saw you completely naked. Don't you thing it is a bit late to be this prudish?"

"I'm not prudish. It's just that-"

"What?" Draco asked annoyed.

"My things are under the bed, and I don't want you to... You know… When I crawl out, and the towel…"

"For crying out loud. Where are these things?" Draco shoved Harry to the side, and crawled under the bed. "Are you mocking me, Potter? There is nothing here. And I hope for your sake that it's clean here, or I will kill you."

Harry couldn't help but laugh out loud. "You know, Malfoy, I could get used to the sight of you crawling on the floor."

"You- Ah!" There was a dull thump, obviously when Draco's head bumped against the underside of the bed. "You are so dead, Potter." He tried to crawl back, but Harry stopped him.

"Okay, okay; I'm sorry, Malfoy." He desperately tried not to laugh. "There is a loose floorboard on the left side, in the middle. In there are all my important things." There was a moment's silence, then Draco's voice was heard.

"That is all your important things, Potter? Pitiful."

"Don't touch any-"

"Wow, what is that?"

"What is what? I said you shouldn't touch anything." When Draco came out from under the bed, he shoved Harry's clothes, a photo album and an old looking piece of parchment in Harry's hand, and held a strangely glimmering cloak in front of him.

"Is that-"

"Give me that." Harry tried to grab it, but Draco took a step back and pulled the cloak over himself. He was gone.

"Oh, my god. It's an invisibility cloak."

"Okay, now you know, so give it back, Malfoy."

"I don't think so," came Draco's voice from behind Harry. Harry laid his other stuff on the bed, turned around to where Draco's voice had come from, and held out his hands to reach for the blond. But he wasn't there. "I'm here," came the voice, now near Harry's left ear.

"Malfoy."

"I'm here." Now there was a poke to Harry's right shoulder.

"Stop it."

"No." Another poke, to his chest, now.

"Malfoy."

"Potter?"

"Malfoy!" Harry jumped when he felt a slap on his arse. "Stop it this instant."

"Or what?"

"Or I punch you- Hey! Give it back!" By now Harry was running in all his nude glory after a flying towel.

"What the hell is going on here?" Both boys froze - well, Harry and the flying towel froze - when Lucius Malfoy appeared in the doorway. "Where is Draco?"

"I'm here, father." Mr Malfoy's eyes widened when he saw his son appearing out of thin air. "It's Potter's invisibility cloak," Draco explained.

"I see." Mr. Malfoy held out his hand, and Draco gave him the cloak. Mr. Malfoy inspected it with great interest.

"Give it back, it's mine," Harry demanded, his nudity totally forgotten.

"I will take it for now; you will get it back later. Anything else that you want to take with you?"

"My school supplies."

"No, that's too obvious. Just small things; the most private."

"He had the cloak under the bed with this clothes and photo album." Draco pointed at the things on the bed. "Oh, and this old piece of parchment." He held it out to his father. "He said these are his most important things."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is."

"No, I said those are all my important things: my only."

"What's that?" Mr Malfoy inspected the parchment, but couldn't see what it was important for. "That's just a piece of parchment. It's useless."

"No it's not. It's a map."

"A map?" Mr. Malfoy asked, curiously.

"The Marauders' map."

"The Marauders..." Lucius thought a moment about the name, then, "It's from your father and his friends, isn't it?"

"Yes. I got it from some friends in Hogwarts."

"What does the map show?"

"Don't know." By then, Harry thought he had already said too much. He didn't know how far he could trust the Malfoys. They said they wouldn't take him to Voldemort, but what guarantee did he have that they weren't lying?

"Liar." Mr. Malfoy smirked. "But keep your secret, for now. We have to go. And you have to get dressed, Mr. Potter. Or do you want to go in your Adam's costume?" When the realization of his nudity hit him, Harry blushed a deep Weasley red, and put on his clothes within the next ten seconds.

"No underwear?" Draco asked smirking.

"No room." Harry replied, carefully pulling up the zipper of his too-tight jeans.

"I see."

"Now, come on. We have to go." Mr. Malfoy grasped Harry's photo album, and together with his cloak and the map, shrunk it and put it in his pocket. Then he took an old looking box from his other pocket and opened it to reveal a stunned frog. He laid the frog on the bed, and muttered a complicated spell. Within seconds, the frog grew and transfigured into… Harry.

"What the hell?" Harry took a step back from the bed and held his wand (which he had taken from his bedside table after dressing) in front of him.

"Lower your wand, Mr. Potter." Mr. Malfoy said calmly.

"What do you-"

"What do you think will happen when they come here, but you aren't here? This entire charade would be for nothing."

"Who are 'they'? Who will come here?"

"Not now. Let's go, it's time." Mr. Malfoy reached once again into his pocket, and pulled out an expensive looking pocket watch. "Put your hand on it."

"Is it a portkey?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"No, it's a flying watch, Potter. Just grab it, and it flies you everywhere you want," Draco answered sarcastically. "What's your problem?"

"I don't know. Maybe the fact that the last time I travelled by portkey, a student died, Voldemort reappeared, and I was mere inches from my own death." Harry glared angrily at the two Malfoys.

"Believe me, Potter, if we wanted to kill you, there wouldn't be a transfigured frog on your bed, and we wouldn't be here. Now would you please touch this damn portkey?" The moment Harry touched the watch, he felt the familiar pull at his navel, and disappeared.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N - That's it for now. What do you think?


	2. Malfoy Castle

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: PG-13 for now

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 2 - Malfoy Castle**

/-

/-

/-

When Harry next opened his eyes, he was standing in the entrance hall of what seemed to be an old, gigantic building. He took a few steps forward to have a better look. The hall was like every other entrance hall might be, with a lot of doors to several other rooms, and a staircase which lead to the upper floor; everything, of course, richly decorated. But besides at Hogwarts, Harry had never seen such a big hall: and compared to Hogwarts, this entrance hall was just…

"Wow!"

"Welcome to Malfoy Castle," Draco announced proudly.

"Malfoy Castle?" Harry looked puzzled to Draco. "I thought you lived in 'Malfoy Manor'. I've never heard anyone refer to it as a castle."

"That's because there are not many people who know about my castle."

"_Your_ castle?"

"Yes; it's my inheritance - from my Grandfather," Draco added, with a slightly sad expression on his face; which Harry wasn't aware of, because he had turned to Mr. Malfoy.

"Then is the Manor…?"

"Mine. Right. So, now that we've settled that, could we please move on?" the elder Malfoy demanded, annoyed.

"Of course, father. Go on. I will see where those damn house-elves are."

"Do that." Mr. Malfoy then turned to Harry. "There are some rules in this house that you should know about, Mr. Potter." Harry just nodded, and Mr. Malfoy went on. "First: no one is to know where Malfoy Castle is located. Second: none of what is spoken in here is to be told to outsiders. And third: you have access to almost every room in this castle, but some, like my study and my private rooms, are out of bounds until I ask you to come there."

'Why would he do that?' Harry wondered. He doubted that Mr. Malfoy would ever ask him to come to his private rooms. When it hit him that Mr. Malfoy had meant his study, Harry's cheeks coloured slightly. 'How could I have ever thought he would invite me to his private rooms?'

"But you will never, ever, go to the ancestor room without either Draco or me." Harry opened his mouth to question this rule, but Mr. Malfoy cut him of. "You will know in time what this room is about, but now…" He pointed to the door at the far right where Draco appeared, followed by two house-elves who were obviously talking insistently to Draco, who was shaking his head while covering his ears.

"And then there was this big, big dog and me can't-"

"No, no, it wasn't a dog; it was a spider, a very big spider-"

"And me could not go in there."

"It wanted to eat me."

"It-"

"Enough!" Mr. Malfoy bellowed. The two house-elves winced, and eyed him fearfully.

"Thanks, Father. I don't know why they don't listen to what I say. That's all this Kreacher's fault. Since he-"

"Kreacher?" Harry asked angrily.

"Do you know him?"

"Is he here?" Harry asked, ignoring Draco's question.

"He was, but he wouldn't listen to me, so I let him go."

"You gave him clothes?" Harry asked frantically.

"Rule number four," Mr. Malfoy threw in all of a sudden, "no clothes for the house-elves."

"Believe me; if I could, I would rip all the clothes off that little piece of scum, along with his skin, after I'd strangled him to death." Harry's glare left no doubt that every word spoken came from the depths of his heart.

"But he isn't free," Draco explained. "I gave him to Aunt Bellatrix. She is the only one for whom he has respect, being the only _real_ Black still alive."

"You gave him to Lestrange?" Harry asked, appalled.

"Not without a very strong memory charm." Draco smirked. "He didn't even remember anything happening since before last summer."

"You know-?"

"Yes, we know about the order," Mr. Malfoy cut in. "But that is not a subject we will be discussing right now. It is late, and tomorrow will be a hard day for all of us." Then he turned to the two house elves who were still standing behind Draco. "Is Mr Potter's room ready?"

"N-no, Master Malfoy, sir."

"Why is that?" he asked angrily.

"Obviously, father, there is a bogart in the room, and those two are two afraid to go in there any time soon. I will take care of that later."

"In the meantime, you two will arrange the guestroom in the master wing." The two house-elves vanished with a _pop!_

Then Draco turned to Harry. "It's possibly for the best if you stay near my rooms. So you can come to me if there is any problem."

"Okay." Harry said, missing the knowing look Mr. Malfoy gave his son.

Draco just smirked and led Harry up the stairs to his room. "I will show you around the Castle sometime tomorrow. You'll have everything you need in your room, and if there should be any problems, my room is at the end of the hall. Feel free to come in whenever you need something," Draco explained, before he opened the door to the guestroom.

When Harry walked in the room, he was only slightly aware of two little shrieks followed by two _pops,_ indicating that the house-elves had vanished, because he was gazing in admiration at what he saw.

The room was huge. It had two big windows on either side of a four poster bed opposite the door, which was twice the size of Harry's bed at Hogwarts. There was also a glass door which, Harry assumed, lead to a balcony. On the right side of the room there were two leather armchairs and a small glass table in front of a small fireplace. On the left side there was a big cupboard with mirrored doors, a bookshelf with several books, and a desk full of writing utensils. Also on the left side, between the cupboard and the bookshelf, there was a door leading to the bathroom, which was amazing. The bathroom was decorated in different sea blue colours, and there was both a bathtub and a shower, both big enough for two people. Harry loved this place.

Draco waited at the door, watching Harry examining the room, and beaming like a small child on Christmas morning. A smile spread across his face at the thought that it was his doing that made Harry react like this.

When Harry exited the bathroom, he was surprised to see Draco still in the room.

"Oh, you're still here." He smiled gently. "Sorry I let you wait. It's just-"

"No, don't apologize." Draco smiled back, and walked up to Harry. "So you like it?"

"Like it?" Harry asked in disbelief. "No." Draco's smile faded at the stern look Harry gave him. He was confused about his sudden change of emotion. But then the raven haired boy broke out in a big grin and Draco let out a sigh of relief. "I love it. It's amazing. It is the greatest room I've ever seen."

"You haven't seen my room, yet." Draco smiled widely. But his smile faded once again, when he saw that Harry's expression clouded.

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why are you doing this for me? I- I thought you hated me?"

"I don't."

"Then why-"

"Listen, it's late. Let's talk in the morning. If you need anything, call for Timky or Dimply. Goodnight." Without waiting for a response, Draco left the room. Harry shrugged, not knowing what to think about Draco's odd behaviour, and went to bed.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	3. Family History

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: PG-13 for now

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 3 - Family history**

/-

/-

/-

The next morning, Harry found a pair of jeans and a shirt on one of the armchairs. He assumed the clothing might belong to Draco, because when he put them on, Harry didn't feel like he was wearing a tent (like with Dudley's hand-me-downs), but something he might fit in after growing a few inches. You see, Harry Potter was very small for his age. With his mere 5' 6" Harry was smaller than every other boy in his year; even most of the girls were taller than him. Harry hated the fact that he would fit perfectly with the soon-to-be fourth or fifth year students, rather than with students his own age. Hermione said this might be because he had lived in the dark cupboard under the stairs for so long, which might have stunted his growth. Ron, on the other hand, said it might be a result of his scar. He believedVoldemort's curse could have damaged Harry in other ways. That it had more effects than just his visions and the scar.

Harry chuckled at the thought of his two best friends discussing his small height while examining himself in the mirror (much like a little boy wearing the clothes of his older brother).

A knock on the door interrupted Harry's train of thought.

"Come in." He wandered to the middle of the room to see who his visitor was. It was Draco.

"Good morning. Rest well?"

"Yeah, thanks. Oh, and thanks for the clothes," Harry said.

"I know they are too big for you, but all my clothes in your size were sorted out three years ago," Draco smirked.

"Ha, ha. Very funny, Malfoy." Harry glared at the blond in mock anger.

"Don't give up hope, Potter; I'm sure you will mature soon." Draco ducked a slap from Harry, laughing when the other boy stumbled slightly. "Well, even a Malfoy could be wrong He laughed even more when Harry chased after him out of the room and down to the small dinning room, where Lucius waited for them to eat breakfast.

"I've never seen someone so enthusiastic that they might haven woken every ghost of the nearby graveyard with their stamping, just to attend an ordinary meal," the older Malfoy said, when the two boys stumbled into the room.

"Sorry, Father, but I had no idea how to bring Potter down here, other than with a chase."

"You could have told me, for example, you-"

"Please, sit down and enjoy the food, both of you. Mr. Potter, we have a lot to do today. There is no time for accusations or insults of any kind."

"Of course, sir. I'm sorry."

"Take a seat, and let's eat," Mr. Malfoy said, sitting at the head of the table. "Professor Dumbledore will be here shortly."

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked, confused, while sitting at Lucius right, across from Draco.

"He will explain to you what will happen after your sudden death," Draco said, smirking in his seat across from Harry.

"What?" Harry stared at Draco in shock, while Lucius glared at his son angrily.

"Very tactful, Draco."

"What?" Draco asked his father innocently. "I could have just given him the Daily Prophet, you know, so he had to figure it out all by himself."

"I might assume that it would have been less of a shock had you done it that way. Look at him." Lucius pointed at Harry, who stared with his mouth open between the two Malfoys. "He looks all pale and-"

"Dead?" Draco said, with a smirk.

"What is this all about, me being dead? What is written in the Prophet? What is going on, here?" Harry's voice rose with every question. Instead of answering his questions, Lucius handed him a copy of the Daily Prophet. Harry took it angrily, and looked at the front page. He gasped in shock at what was written there.

'**Boy Who Lived' Dies In Death Eater Attack **

**Yes, it is true. Harry Potter, better known as 'The Boy Who Lived', died last night in an attack at his Muggle relatives' house in Surrey. **

**While his relatives visited family over the weekend, Harry Potter was alone at home. Shortly after midnight, the wards protecting the house announced an attack. Tragically for young Mr. Potter, help arrived too late. The Dark Mark shown above a totally destroyed house. **

**All hopes that the boy might have survived the attack were shattered when Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, cast an ancient spell over the dead body which identified the victim as none other then The Boy Who Lived…**

Harry couldn't read one more word. He felt sick and betrayed and… relieved? Slowly he put the newspaper down and looked to the two Malfoys.

"You knew about this." It wasn't a question, and he didn't wait for one of them to speak. "You knew about the attack on me. That's the reason why you took me away from there. That's the reason why you put Uncle Vernon under the Imperius Curse, to get him out of there. That explains the transfigured frog. You saved my life. Why?" He stared in disbelief from Draco, to Lucius, and back to Draco. "Why did you do that for me? You hate me. And you even wanted to kill me a few months ago. You support Voldemort, why-"

"We don't." Draco interrupted sternly.

"What?" Harry asked confused.

"We don't serve Voldemort. I never had, and Father-"

"He lost my support when he killed my father last summer."

"Your father?"

"You must know, Mr. Potter, that our family is a very proud, pureblood family."

Harry wanted to comment that Draco had, more than once, shown how high his opinion of his family was, but the look on both Malfoy's faces kept him quiet, and he let Lucius explain.

"We hate Muggles," Mr Malfoy continued. "That's no secret. But there is a big difference between hating them and killing them, which my father and I had to learn the hard way. When we first heard about this guy who fought for better rights for pureblood families, we were quite interested in his arguments. He promised us so much, and there was nothing wrong with it, so my father joined him. I was still in school, so I couldn't help in their organisation. The first few years were actually very interesting. My father told me about all the things they achieved by confronting those in authority with the information they had, and coercing those authorities into meeting their demands. That's the reason why I joined Voldemort as well. Not long after that, some of the promises the Ministry had made were broken, and everything changed. Father refused to torture and kill people. He wanted to leave Voldemort, but there is no way to 'just leave'. He tortured him. Then he let him go."

"He let him go. With all the information he had?" Harry asked, surprised.

"No, of course not. He Obliviated him. Every single thought about Voldemort and his machinations were erased from my father's mind."

"I don't understand that. I've never heard about someone leaving Voldemort for good. I know about someone who left him, but he is still in mortal danger because the Dark Lord wants him dead. Why did he let your father go, really?" Harry asked, suspiciously.

"There was an agreement between the Dark Lord and myself," Lucius said. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, he spoke again. "Father didn't know about it. Voldemort promised me that he would let my father go and would never chase after him, if I did anything he said."

"And you agreed to that?" Harry asked carefully. There was so much understanding for Lucius' action, that Harry feared it might all be a lie. He feared that the sympathy he felt for this man right now might shatter with one wrong word. But he was tired of being betrayed, of losing people to the dark side. He wanted this to be true. He wanted to go through with this entire 'being dead' thing, not caring what might happen, not fearing to fail, not being watched every single step, not being expected to save everyone.

There was a long pause until Lucius spoke again.

"I loved my father dearly. There was never any doubt about my decision. I'd have done anything to protect him." There was another uncomfortable silence in which Lucius tried to regain his strength. Harry had noticed the tears forming in Lucius' eyes, and had politely turned to take a sip of his tea. He saw Draco's hand on his father's in silent comfort, and for the first time since he knew Draco and his father, he didn't think about them as arrogant prigs, but as a loving family. Just when Harry decided to leave so that the two Malfoys could have some privacy, Draco spoke. His voice was slightly shaking, something Harry felt very uneasy about.

"After Voldemort's return, grandfather accidentally learned about his assistance in the Dark Lord's work. Father told me about it, and he overheard our conversation. He demanded to know what this was all about, and after a very long argument, father told him everything."

"Even about the agreement?" Harry asked, suspecting where this lead to.

"Even about the agreement. He was angry; really angry. He disowned father, and then went to Voldemort to take him to task."

"That was foolish."

"No, that was love," Lucius said, startling Harry.

"Love?"

"He did this so I wasn't bound to the agreement with Voldemort any longer. After my father died, I apparated with his body back to the manor and contacted Dumbledore."

"Did you-"

"Yes, I worked as a spy, and still do."

"That wasn't what I wanted to ask," Harry said in a hushed voice. "Did you have the opportunity to settle your argument with your father…before he…"

"Yes, I did," Lucius said with a small smile. "He knew why I did what I did, and I knew why he did what he did."

"I never knew your father, but if he is the person you described him to be, then his death is a great loss, especially for your family."

"Thank you." The two Malfoys nodded appreciatively, then there was another silence, but this time it wasn't uncomfortable.

A pop! broke the silence, and Dimply announced the arrival of Albus Dumbledore.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	4. explanation and realization

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: PG-13 for now

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 4 - explanation and realization**

/-

/-

/-

"But I don't understand. Why now?" Harry was pacing in the sitting room, looking questioningly at Dumbledore and the two Malfoys, who had just explained their reasons for Harry's feigned death. "Just a few months ago, the ministry declared Voldemort's return, and now you let the one person who could defeat him die. Why?"

"I already told you why, Harry," Dumbledore said, pleading for Harry to understand.

"But your reasons are bullshit." He sat back down, facing all three men. "You said Voldemort has weakened since the attack at the ministry." Harry now looked directly at Lucius. "And you are giving him potions to stop his rehabilitation. Why didn't you use this opportunity to end it all? With your information about his whereabouts, we could have defeated him. We can still do it," he said excitedly. "Why wait, when now we have such a good advantage?"

"Because it is too soon, Harry. You aren't ready, yet," Dumbledore said calmly.

"_Not ready yet?_" The black haired teen jumped back up from his chair and glared at the headmaster. "Do you think that after five years of constant confrontations I can't kill a weak, poisoned man? The very one who killed my parents? He is fragile, shaky, and god knows I want nothing more than kill that monster."

"Is that so, Harry?" Dumbledore looked at him compassionately.

"Of course." Harry raged. "Why shouldn't I want to kill the person who killed my family? I would do it for them without a second thought."

"You couldn't do it for Sirius."

Slowly, Harry sank back in his chair and starred at Dumbledore, realization hit him with full force.

"I couldn't even put Lestrange under the Cruciatus Curse right after she…killed Sirius." He took a deep breath to strengthen himself. "How could I have ever thought I could actually kill another human being - even if it is Voldemort - when I didn't even have enough hatred to solemnly injure someone? I'm sorry, Professor, I-"

"Do never apologize for not being able to act out of hatred, my boy. That is a gift you should hold dear." Dumbledore smiled at him, his eyes twinkling slightly.

"I think I understand now, why you did what you did," Harry said calmly. "What will happen now? I can't go back to Hogwarts or to my relatives: I can't even go for a walk, because I might be seen. I'm dead," he stated matter-of-factly.

"All further information concerning your housing conditions, education, and so on, will be explained by Draco and Lucius." Dumbledore nodded to the two Malfoys, who were very quiet throughout the conversation. "But there is one point which we need to discuss right now."

"That is?"

"Your estate."

"My… Oh." There was a momentary silence when Harry realized what this meant. "I've nothing left, have I? I mean, I'm officially dead. I can't just simply walk into Gringott's and get some money if I need it. How will I buy my school supplies this year? And everything that I have left behind?"

"Don't worry, Harry. Nobody really knows how much money is in your vaults. I've opened another vault, and it holds more than enough for you to survive the next ten years."

"Just how much money do you have, that the absence of such an amount won't be recognized?" Draco asked curiously.

"Honestly, I don't know, and I don't care." Harry smiled at Draco's shocked look. "Besides, it's too late now. It isn't mine anymore. But what will happen with it now?" he asked, looking at Dumbledore.

"That is your decision, Harry."

"What can I do? I'm already 'dead'."

"Let's see..." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling in mischief. "What if you had written a will after your encounter at the Ministry? After Sirius' death you came to me to ask for help with your inheritance, and you asked me what would happen with the money and the house in Grimmauld Place if something happened to you?"

"You mean, I can say what should happen with everything?" Harry asked, a plan forming in his mind.

"Of course; but you must do it right now, so that I can handle your estate immediately." And for the next two hours, Harry and Professor Dumbledore discussed his will, and all necessities concerning Harry's estate.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	5. the grand tour

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: PG-13 for now

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 5 - the grand tour**

/-

/-

/-

After lunch, while Professor Dumbledore and Mr. Malfoy retired to discuss further occurrences, Draco gave Harry a tour of Malfoy Castle and its estate. Harry was especially keen on the Quidditch pitch and the swimming pool, but his most favourite place was the library. Since the beginning of the summer, Harry had found a liking for books (not to the extent that Hermione did, but it came very close). He had read every book from his last five years at Hogwarts - except potions of course (who would do that of their own free will, anyway?), and every book he had been given for his birthdays and for Christmas. He had longingly waited for his birthday next week, hoping for new books from Ron and Hermione.

But when he saw the library, all his thoughts about birthdays and Ron and Hermione were forgotten. He was in heaven.

Draco had wanted to continue the tour through the castle after they viewed the library, but when he saw Harry's beaming face, there was no way in hell he would force him out right now.

--------

In the late afternoon, Mr. Malfoy and Professor Dumbledore found the two boys still in the library, both unaware of their entrance. Harry was still rummaging through all the bookshelves lining the room, occasionally picking one book out and reading a few lines, while Draco was busy pretending to read and _not_ watch Harry's every move.

"I never thought the two of you were so studious," Dumbledore said, commenting on the scene with twinkling eyes. Startled, the two boys look at the two intruders.

"Everything settled, Father, Professor?" Draco asked, his voice showing his annoyance about the disturbance.

"Yes," Dumbledore answered, and then turned to Harry. "And I'm just here to say goodbye. I'm sure there won't be any problems, but if you need anything, Harry, you know how to contact me."

"Of course, Professor, and thank you for everything."

Dumbledore just nodded, and left the room.

"I'll be right back," Mr. Malfoy said, and escorted Dumbledore to the apparition room.

--------

A few minutes later, Mr. Malfoy came back just to fetch his son for some 'last preparations'. Harry didn't ask any further questions, and instead continued looking through all the books.

In the evening, a house elf appeared in the library to inform Harry that dinner would be served soon, so Harry reluctantly left the library to join the two Malfoys in the dining room.

After dinner, Draco showed Harry the rest of the castle, except for Lucius' quarters, and the ancestor room, but he explained its use to Harry when they passed it.

"It's a bit like an apparition room, except that there is just one place you can get to through this room."

"Where?" Harry asked, excited.

"Malfoy Manor."

"You mean if I go in this room right now and closed the door, and then came back out, I would be in Malfoy Manor?" Harry's questioning voice showed his disbelief, but mostly his interest.

"There is a second door in this room which leads to the Manor, but other than that, yes, that's how it works."

"Why can't I see it?"

"You never know who might be on the other side. And we don't want them to see a very living Harry Potter now, do we?"

"Who could be on the other side?" Harry asked in an eager tone. He wanted to use this room now.

"Mother and Sev, for example. I don't think you want to explain to Professor Snape why you are still alive, do you?"

"God, I think when he sees me, he will kill me himself, just to be sure I'm really dead." Both boys laughed for a moment, until Harry realized what Draco had said. "Wait. Your Mother and _Sev_?" He looked for a second to Draco, then repeated, "Your Mother _and _Sev?"

"Yes, and yes," Draco said calmly. "Let's go upstairs. I'll show you my room, and then I can explain it to you."

After several minutes of admiration of Draco's room, which was twice the size of Harry's room, and decorated with very expensive furniture and stuff, Harry and Draco sat in two armchairs, and Draco called for Timky to bring them some tea.

When the house elf reappeared with the tea, Draco was already in the middle of his explanation.

"… and that's why I call him Sev."

"I've heard rumours of that before, but I wasn't sure if it was really true," Harry commented. "Then that's the reason why you are his favourite student."

"That's the benefit of being his godson," Draco said, smiling teasingly.

"I should be jealous of you," Harry mused, "but who doesn't want a teacher who hates them for something that happened between said teacher and said students' father before said student was even born?"

"Well, now that I think about it, I have every right to be jealous of you," Draco stated in mock earnest. They both laughed about that until a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Come in." Mr. Malfoy entered the room.

"I just want to say good night. Don't stay up too long; tomorrow will be eventful."

"Good night, Mr. Malfoy."

"Good night, Father."

"Mr. Potter – Draco: sleep well." Lucius nodded to the two, and then left the room.

"I think I should go now," Harry said, already rising.

"You don't have to," Draco said, a bit too quickly. "I mean, I haven't answered your second question, yet."

"Maybe we can talk tomorrow about it?"

"Of course." Draco led Harry back to his room and offered his help, once again, if need be.

"Be careful, or I will have claimed your full attention in less than two days."

They smiled at each other for a long while until one of them spoke again.

"Good night then."

"Yeah, good night."

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	6. Life after Death

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: PG-13 for now

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 6 - Life after Death**

/-

/-

/-

The next morning when Harry entered the dining room, Draco and his father were already sitting at the table, reading the newspaper and sipping their tea.

"Any sudden deaths this morning?" Harry asked cheerfully, when he sat down across from Draco.

"You aren't mourning very long, are you? Not even for your own death." Lucius smiled at him, but his smile froze when he saw Harry's expression fall.

"I think it might be because I had to mourn a lot in the past, and now that it is my own death there won't be any more because of me," Harry stated flatly, then he began to eat, ignoring the two Malfoys. The two blonds looked at each other for a moment in silent understanding, deciding not to answer to Harry's comment, and then also began to eat.

They ate their meal in total silence until Harry suddenly jumped up, knocking his chair to the ground in the process. The two Malfoys stared at him in confusion. Then he spoke.

"Why don't you say anything? Why don't you do anything? When will you explain to me what will happen to me? I've been waiting since yesterday morning for somebody to tell me about all this 'save The Boy Who Lived by making him die' crap, and every time I ask what will happen, you say to wait until later. I want to know what you have planned for me, and I won't wait any longer." With that said, Harry plumped back down into his chair (which Lucius had magically picked up), crossed his arms, and stared daggers at Lucius, who looked at him, flabbergasted.

A flash of panic shot through Harry when he realized what he'd just done. He laid his hands in his lap, and sank his head to inspect them curiously. "I… uh… I'm sorry; I had no right to speak to you in that tone. But I'm so curious about what will happen. But then you said that thing about mourning, and made me think about Sirius, and I got upset because it still hurts; but I don't want to think about it and then you never responded to my comment, and no one spoke, and I thought-"

"Harry, you're babbling." Draco's voice cut him off.

"What?" Harry looked up at Draco as if he had slapped him in the face.

"You're babbling." Draco said, smiling at him.

"No, not that: you called me 'Harry'," Harry said, a small smile forming on his lips. But it faltered again when Draco next spoke.

"Don't get used to it, _Potter_, I just wanted to say your name once in my life." Draco smirked at Harry's puzzled expression, and then turned to his father. "Should we start then, Father?"

"Of course, Draco; after all, we can't risk Mr. Potter here dying of curiosity, now can we?" Lucius smiled at Draco, and then both Malfoys smiled at Harry, who couldn't help but smile, himself.

"If I wasn't already dead, I think dying out of curiosity would be the most torturous death." All three men laughed at this comment, thenDraco excused himself from the room, and Lucius led Harry to the sitting room.

"I think it's time that you get to know what will happen to you, Mr. Potter. Please take a seat. Draco will be back any minute." Harry sat down on the couch expectantly, and waited for Draco to arrive.

He hadn't to wait long, though, because two minutes later, Draco entered the room and placed what seemed to be a potions vial on a nearby table, then he sat in an armchair and looked at his father.

"Well, I think we can begin, then," Lucius said, pulling his wand out of his pocket. Harry jumped slightly, and when he realized that the two Malfoys were looking at him quizzically, he turned a light shade of red, and mumbled something which neither of the blonds could understand.

"After what happened a few months ago at the ministry, we had some important discussions, Albus, Draco, and I. We know how hard it is for you to cope with the death of your godfather."

Harry wanted to shout at him that nobody knew how he felt. Every time anyone mentioned Sirius' death and offered their condolences with the words 'I know how hard it is for you', Harry felt anger boil inside him, and normally would verbally attack them; but he thought it wiser to stay quiet for now, and hear what Mr. Malfoy had to say.

"We debated about how to prevent you from more pain and loss, and let you have your time to grieve."

This time Harry wanted Mr. Malfoy to stop with whatever it was he was about to do, when it meant giving Harry 'time to grieve'. He couldn't grieve anymore. He couldn't think about what had happened anymore. He just wanted to go on. But then he thought - maybe if what they were going to do would change his life, he could just forget about everything. So he listened again to what Mr. Malfoy said.

"…and that's why we let you die." Harry wasn't sure what Mr. Malfoy had said while he had been trying to stay calm, but he figured it wasn't that important, because nothing he had just said was totally new to Harry. It was just the inevitability of the speech, which would have let Harry react like he wanted, if he hadn't controlled himself. He looked back up to Mr. Malfoy, and the man continued with his speech.

"You know that with your death you can't be seen by anyone anymore, or the charade is up."

Harry looked up at the elder Malfoy, and nodded in understanding.

"But you have to learn. You have to work hard to prepare yourself for your encounter with Voldemort which, unfortunately, will happen one day."

"The prophecy," Harry said, nodding again.

"Right. And because no one wants to force you to stay in here for god knows how long, and I can't teach you everything you have to know, it is necessary that you go back to Hogwarts where Dumbledore will work with you."

"Back to Hogwarts?" Harry asked, excitedly. He had given up hope of going back there anytime soon, after he had heard about his 'death'. He had thought he would be educated at Malfoy Castle by Mr. Malfoy, or far away in America or Japan, where nobody knew who he was. But how could he go back there without being recognized? "But how-"

"That's what this is all about," Draco said, cutting him off. "You understand that you can't go back like this." He looked Harry up and down, his gaze resting for a few seconds on Harry's thighs, and then his chest (Harry was wearing Draco's clothes today, so they were pretty tight, and eye-catching.) "Even with a new name and a haircut, there would never be any doubt of who you really are." Now his eyes wandered to Harry's forehead, and rested on his scar. Harry's hand followed Draco's gaze and touched his scar carefully.

"And therefore," Lucius said, indicating for Harry to get up and stand in front of him, "you need a new identity." With that said, he handed Harry the vial Draco had brought with him. It was indeed a potion; green, blue, and gleaming.

"What is this?" Harry asked uneasy.

"Just a little help: now drink."

A bit hesitantly, Harry took the vial and downed the potion. While he did this, Mr. Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry, spoke some strange incantations, and touched the end of his wand to Harry's forehead.

"Don't move," Draco commanded, as he saw Harry flinch, "you could get hurt."

Harry froze in fear of what might happen to him. He felt a strange tickle go through his body. When the elder Malfoy stopped, Harry collapsed on the floor, his breath becoming fast and unsteady. He felt as if someone had put the Cruciatus Curse on him, but the pain faded away too quickly, for that curse.

"Father, what happened? Did I make the potion wrong?" Draco tried to reach Harry, but his father held him back.

"Calm down, Draco. He is okay."

"But look! He's trembling, and his breathing is unsteady. He collapsed on the floor, for god's sake."

"Draco Malfoy, will you please be quiet, and hear me out." Draco stopped, and nodded. "This reaction is normal, because it is a very difficult spell. And don't forget that Mr. Potter has a strange curse on himself."

"The scar?" Draco asked knowingly.

"Yes. It is hard to break through his magic. He fought a lot. But I did it. Because of his resistance, I had to use his magic to terminate his scar and work my own magic on him."

"Did it work?"

"We will see. But for now, go get him one of your robes. He might need it."

While Draco left the room, Mr. Malfoy took a step toward Harry, and reached out his hand. "Stand up."

Harry took the offered hand and stood up. He looked Lucius Malfoy straight in the eye. "What-" He began, but stopped dead at the tone of his voice.

"Drink this." Mr. Malfoy gave him a glass of water, and Harry drank it thankfully.

"What-" Harry began again, but Mr. Malfoy held up his hand. His other hand followed, and with both he took off Harry's glasses.

Harry blinked a few times, and then looked at his surroundings. His sight was perfectly clear.

"What have you done?" He looked back at the blond, then down at himself. "Am I taller?" He asked, confused. Indeed, when he'd looked down at himself he saw that his shirt was several inches too short, as was his jeans, and both items of clothing were very, very tight. When he didn't get an answer, he asked again "What have you done?"

"I have destroyed the last proof that Harry Potter is still alive," Lucius said, with a smirk.

"What?"

"Come!"

Lucius led him to a corner in which a covered, full length mirror stood. He positioned Harry in front of it, but before he allowed him to look at himself, he said, "There is a lot of information about your new identity we will talk about later. We have created some important details about your last sixteen years that you will have to know by heart, but other than those facts, you can create your own past, and therefore your own character. For now, I just want to introduce you to your new self." Lucius went to the mirror, and grabbed the cloth with one hand. "Meet yourself, Tiger Emerald Ryan."

The curtain fell to the floor, and Harry gasped. He stared at himself open-mouthed, and his first thought was-

"God, I'm hot."

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	7. Meet Tiger Emerald Ryan

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 7 - Meet Tiger Emerald Ryan**

/-

/-

/-

The cloth fell to the floor, and Harry gasped. He stared at himself open mouthed and his first thought was, "God, I'm hot."

"That's why Draco chose your new self like that."

Harry blushed, when he realized he had said it out loud.

"Sorry, I-"

"Don't be. 'Cause you're right. You _are_ hot." Draco, who had just arrived as his father had lifted the cloth off the mirror, stepped beside him and looked at their reflection.

And yes, they were both right; Harry was hot. He was now nearly as tall as Lucius, and therefore the same height as Draco. His body was perfectly shaped; not too muscular, but obviously very athletic, and he had the tan of a Californian beach boy. His formerly messy black hair was still black, but cut short, and he had blue spikes which were gleaming in the light. His face had lost his childish features and, of course, his scar. Now he looked seductive and cunning. This effect was perfectly supported by his eyes. They were shrouded in mysteries. They seem emerald green, just like they had before, but there was more. They gave the impression that the pupils were gleaming blue instead of black, and there were also delicate blue stripes between the emerald.

"Beautiful," both of them said at once. They looked at each other and blushed.

"You made me like this?" Harry asked shyly.

"You are my masterpiece,"Draco said, smiling proudly at him, "my perfect angel."

"Excuse me?" Harry looked shocked at Draco, whose smile faded at Harry's outburst.

"Sorry?" Draco said, unsure if he wanted to apologize, or to know why Harry reacted like that.

"How could I ever be an angel?" Harry looked back at his reflection, a smirk forming on his cunning features. "Such a body must be made in hell. Gods, I'm getting hard looking at my own reflection."

"So am I," Draco whispered in his ear.

Once again, Harry blushed. "I'm sorry; I don't know why I said that."

"Because it's true," Lucius stated evenly. His gaze wandered to Harry's crotch.

Harry followed his gaze, and blushed even more. "I - I think I need to take a shower," Harry said, and rushed out of the room.

"Wow!" was all Draco could say, after Harry's exit.

"Good choice you've made."

"Oh, yeah."

"I think you should take a shower yourself, Draco; a cold shower." Lucius smirked at his son.

Draco looked down at himself, and with a mischievous wink, he left the room.

---------

As Draco came out of his bathroom, only wearing a towel, he noticed some ruffling coming from his cupboard, and a half naked Harry – no, Tiger - came into view, also only wearing a towel around his waist.

"What are you doing in here?" Draco asked.

"Getting dressed," Tiger answered. He was carrying some clothes to the couch in the corner of the room. "After all, I don't have any clothes, and the few I had, I had to cut up just to get out of them, thanks to you. Besides, I wanted to know what type of clothes you wear under your robes. And what can I say?" He held up the clothes he had chosen to wear; black leather trousers, and a blood red silk, button-up shirt which looked like it was too small for him, "I love your wardrobe."

"Do you have to wear that?" Draco looked as if he would pounce on Tiger at any moment.

"I can't just wear this towel all the time, now can I?" Tiger asked, a seductive smile playing on his face as he noticed Draco's towel stretching, inch by inch.

"Why not? I wouldn't mind." Draco smirked, never taking his eyes off Tiger's naked chest.

"I- I don't know," Tiger said unsurely, which caused Draco to look up, so he would meet his eyes. Not breaking their eye contact, Tiger continued in a slightly naive voice. "I could, but what would happen if I had to pick something up from the ground? Everybody would look at my arse." To underline his statement, Tiger bent down as if picking something up from the ground, his bottom pointed in Draco's direction. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Draco staring at his backside, and his towel stretching even more. "See?"

"Well," Draco said, trying hard to get himself under control. His voice was far too girlish for his liking. "I don't think it's that bad."

"Oh, but look at this." Tiger pointed at the towel, which now hung very loosely around his waist. "It will slide down. With every step, it will slip a bit more." To prove his point, Tiger walked around the room, his hips swinging ever so slightly. "See?"

His towel hung so low, now, that Draco could see some of the black hair at Harry's crotch, and he gasped when he saw that they, also, had blue gleaming spikes. He couldn't bring himself to look away, and he thanked all the gods for stretchable towels; otherwise he'd havea new towel rack by now.

"What do you think?"

Draco's head snapped back up, to find Tiger looking at him, smiling innocently.

"I- I think it is okay. You're still wearing the towel, and nobody would notice anything." Draco cursed under his breath about the obvious tremble in his voice.

"Are you sure?" Tiger asked sceptically.

Draco nodded enthusiastically.

"But what if when we're outside, say at Diagon Alley? There are so many people, the streets are always crowded, and we would have to stay very close together." Tiger had been walking over to Draco, and now he was standing right beside him. "What if I were to rub against you?" He took a few steps forward so that he was now facing Draco. On his way, he rubbed against Draco's side so that just their towels collided. "See?" He pointed at his towel, which now hung dangerously low, and was very, very loose.

Draco gulped. He took a deep breath before he spoke. "I…really don't see your point," he said hoarsely.

"Well, I think you're right," Tiger said thoughtfully, smiling at Draco. "I can bend down," he listed off, "I can walk, and it isn't a problem when I rub against someone. I'm sure I'll also be able to reach out for a book at Flourish and Blotts'. You know their bookshelves are all very tall." That was all it took. When Tiger stretched his arms towards the ceiling to prove his point, standing on tiptoes to use every inch of his height, his towel fell to the ground. His back had been facing Draco, so when he turned his head around to look down at himself (still stretching up, causing every muscle to tense up), he saw Draco's mouth open and close like a goldfish. His gaze was fixed on Tiger's arse, so he didn't notice the other teen looking at him. Slowly, Tiger relaxed his muscles and turned around, his arms hanging limp at his sides. "Oh, no." Tiger's anxious whisper gained Draco's attention, and the blond looked up. "Draco, what would I do if that really happened?"

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, slightly dazed.

"When the towel slips. What about all the people? I mean, if they stare at me, it won't be too bad." He took a step forward to be face to face with Draco. He looked around as if to prove that they were alone, then he bent forward and whispered. "But what if someone touches me?" His breath froze Draco to the spot. Tiger moved his head back, then walked slowly around Draco, who by now had his eyes closed, and his lips slightly parted. "What if they slap my bottom or squeeze it?" Tiger whispered from behind, in Draco's right ear. "Or if they stroke my hips?" he asked in Draco's other ear. "Oh, god." Tiger's slight moan was echoed by Draco's groan.

Tiger continued to walk until he was back in front of Draco. He took one last step forward so that he could feel Draco's breath against his lips, but all the time being careful to never actually touch him. "What if they want to kiss me?" he asked fearfully, "their lips on mine, hard, and passionate."

Draco licked his lips and bent forward, but Tiger was already gone, and was now standing behind him, whispering in his ear.

"Their lips slightly parting, demanding to enter my mouth." He stopped for a moment when he saw a shadow at the half open door. "Oh, god," he moaned absentmindedly, causing Draco to shiver. Tiger thought for a second to stop, but there was a nagging feeling inside him that wanted them to look. He knew who it was; Draco, Lucius, and he were the only occupants at Malfoy Castle, except the house-elves, but they were too small for the shadow at the door. He wanted Lucius to see. After all, what was he doing? A few words, never touching - that isn't forbidden.

'Note for later,' he thought to himself, 'ask if the potion changed more than just my appearance.'

He took a deep breath, and continued. "But what should I do?" He was walking away from Draco, talking loud enough for Lucius to understand. "I'd probably panic and try to beg them to stop. But that would give them the access they needed, and their tongue would enter my mouth." He watched Draco bite his lower lip and push his head back to the nape of his neck. He walked back to him before he spoke again, now whispering in his ear (still loud enough for Lucius to hear). "It would explore every part of my mouth, forcing my tongue to react. I wouldn't want that. I would try to push their tongue away, but they would just think I wanted it, too."

"That- that would be… unbelievable," Draco moaned his sympathy, imagining what it must be like to have Tiger's tongue in his mouth.

"Oh, yeah!" Tiger agreed, smiling about Draco's choice of words. "But what if they start to use their hands again? I wouldn't have to strength to push them away, when their hands would touch my face and wander down to my neck, then across my chest. What if they would touch my nipples? I wouldn't want that, I know that, but they would be hard by then because of the kissing and the physical contact." Draco let out a deep growl. "And my cock would be hard, standing there, proud of its strength, mocking me because I couldn't fight against all that." Tiger had wandered back in front of Draco, his hands touching Draco's towel, causing a whimper to escape Draco's throat.

"And then their lips would leave mine, just to wander down to my neck, biting and sucking. Oh, god," he moaned softly against Draco's neck, earning another whimper. "Then they would wander to my nipples." He breathed the way down Draco's chest. "Their hand would wind around my body and rest on my arse, while their lips would be sucking, and biting, and their tongue licking at my nipples. And then, oh my god, just thinking about it - they would wander deeper, and… and… oh, god, their tongue, licking, tasting; and then kissing the tip of my head, slowly opening their mouth, and sliding down my length. Oh, god, they would suck, and their hands would wander down my thigh, and then back up at the inner thigh until they reached my balls."

He was kneeling in front of the other boy. He let his hands ghost over Draco's skin so that he never really touched him. "They would - oh, god - they would massage and squeeze them, they would know I'm nearly there. Their mouth would release my cock to be replaced by their hands. Their mouth would wander back up to my nipples, my neck, then over my jaw line, and then back to my mouth. One squeeze on my bottom would make me gasp, and their tongue would gain access to my mouth once again. I wouldn't be able to stand much longer; I would feel my knees going weak. They would release my cock to wrap their arms around me to steady me, and then – oh, good god - they would pull me to them and grind their hips against mine, and they would rub their erection against mine, and then after one last thrust, I would feel them come all over me, and they would cry in pleasure and - oh… oh… - I would have to… I wouldn't be able hold it back any longer. They would lick my lips, and then kiss their way to my ear." He wandered around Draco, his breath following the way he described. "I wouldn't be able to register anything, anymore, I would be so close. They would nibble at my earlobe, and then they would whisper, "Come for me, _my Dragon'_."

And then Draco came, without one single touch.

When the aftermath of Draco's orgasm subsided, he saw Tiger walking away. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice still a little husky.

"I think I'd rather wear the trousers and the shirt," Tiger said. He got dressed, and then walked to the door, smirking at Draco devilishly. "I'll wait downstairs. Don't dawdle." With that, he exited the room, leaving a very confused Draco behind.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	8. Diagon Alley

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 8 - Diagon Alley**

/-

/-

/-

It took Draco another half an hour to get down. When he arrived, Tiger and Mr. Malfoy were already discussing the details of Tiger's past. He sat down in an armchair, and listened to what they said.

"Okay, so I've been raised by my uncle, Jack Dalson, because my parents died after I was born," Tiger summarized.

"Your mother, Jane, died while giving birth to you, and your father, Paul, died in a storm while he was sailing."

"Right. After Uncle Jack had his heart attack and died, you took me in because you were best friends with Jane and Paul. What else?" Tiger asked.

"You lived in California, where you went to a Muggle school."

"No wizarding school?" Tiger interrupted, confused.

"No, because actually you should have attended Hogwarts, and the wizarding school in America wouldn't take you in. Jack decided to teach you himself while you attended the Muggle school. You had many friends in America. They were all Muggles. You hadn't had much contact with other wizards and witches; except Jack, of course. No one knew you two were wizards."

Tiger had absorbed the information, quite curious, but there was one question he wanted an answer for (except the one if the potion had changed his personality, which nagged at him every time he looked at Draco.)

"What about Quidditch - flying? When I lived amongst Muggles, did I have the opportunity to fly, and play Quidditch? I know this will be one of the questions I'll be asked the most. Will I even get the chance to play Quidditch again? By the way, which house will I be in? Will I have to use the Sorting Hat again? What if he recognizes me? What-"

"Tiger, you're babbling." Draco's voice cut him off. Tiger looked at him for a moment, then smiled.

"I think I've heard that sentence before, haven't I?"

"Don't get used to it, _Ryan._ I just wanted to say your name, once in my life." Draco smirked, remembering the only time he had called the other boy Harry.

"Who gave me that name, anyway: Tiger Emerald Ryan?"

"Don't complain: it's a lot better than Harry Potter," Draco replied, in mock earnest.

"You're one to talk, _Dragon_." Tiger smirked when he saw not one, but two Malfoys' heads turn away with a tint of red to their cheeks. "Oh, by the way; did the potion you gave me have affects other than the change in my appearance?"

"Why do you ask? Do you feel any different?" Lucius asked seriously.

"Well there _are_ some changes..."

"Such as?"

"I've done things which I'd always thought about, but would have never actually done." Upon hearing that, Draco's head snapped up, and he looked tentatively at Harry. 'Had he really thought about doing _that_ before? To me?'

"I think you answered your own question, Tiger," Lucius replied, after he had thought nearly the same thing as Draco.

"You mean I'm less inhibited now?"

"Let's just say the boundary between thinking about, and actually doing things, has been moved in a more daring direction."

Tiger thought about that for a minute, then he smiled at Lucius. "I think I like it."

"Tell Draco; it was his doing."

"I think he likes it, too." Tiger smirked at Draco. Once again Draco blushed, but this time he held his head high, and looked directly at the smirking Tiger.

"I think I've done a very good job."

Now it was Tiger's turn to blush.

There was a short silence, then Draco spoke again, this time addressing his father. "Is there anything else he must know right now, or can we go to Diagon Alley now?"

"I think that was all. Everything else can be made up by you, Tiger."

"Wait, what about Quidditch? You never answered that question."

"You are really obsessed with the game, aren't you?" Draco asked teasingly. The

"It's just," Tiger replied in a slightly naive tone, his innocent eyes searching Draco's, "I like the feeling of my broom between my hands. I always feel so light-headed when I have a tight grip on it." He smiled when Draco's eyes widened in realization. "So what about Quidditch, then?"

Lucius just shook his head at them, smiling about the obvious allusions Tiger made. Then he realized that the black haired teen was looking at him, obviously waiting for an answer about his precious Quidditch.

"You had a large garden where you could fly without the Muggles noticing. The rest is up to you - if you play Quidditch, I mean."

"Okay. And what about Hog-"

"Stop," Draco demanded. "One more question, and I will either die out of embarrassment, or kill you because of it."

"Why?" Tiger asked in mock confusion. "What have I done to you that would lead to such a reaction? Haven't I not always talked to you nicely?"

This last question would have led to an attack from Draco, if Lucius hadn't interfered at the last moment.

"I think we should really go to Diagon Alley, now." So they all walked up to the fireplace, and floo'd to Diagon Alley.

-------

They arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, from which they made their way to Diagon Alley, and their first stop: Gringotts.

"I have a few things to deal with before I go down to the vaults to retrieve the money," Lucius told the two boys. "Why don't you two go and stay in the waiting room until I'm done, so you don't have to wait here in the lounge?"

"Alright, Father. See you later."

So the three went their separate ways; Lucius to one of the goblins, and the two boys to the waiting room. Upon entering the room, the two found it already occupied. In one corner, on a small couch, sat two teenagers; a girl with bushy brown hair, and a red-headed boy. The girl seemed to be crying, because she had her head bent down in her hands, and the boy had a comforting arm around her shoulders and was speaking softly to her.

As Tiger recognised the two as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his two best friends, his first reaction was to run to them and take them both in a comforting embrace, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Draco looked sympathetically at him, but shook his head.

"You can't," he whispered. "They don't know you."

"You're right," Tiger replied, giving Draco a defeated smile. "But please promise me that you won't tease them. Not now. They must have just received my letter, that's why they are here."

"What other reason would Weasley have to go to Gringotts, anyway?"

"Please, Draco, do it for me. Please. I don't want to lose them as friends. Maybe I could become friends with them again. Promise me to be nice. Please?"

Draco scowled at the thought of being civil to Weasley, let alone becoming friends with him, but when he saw Harry's pleading eyes, he couldn't not give in. "Just this once. Don't think I will go all lovey-dovey with them. That will never happen."

"Who knows? Maybe one day…" Tiger grinned wildly at a disgusted looking Draco.

"Don't you dare even think of such a disgusting thing, Tiger Emerald Ryan."

At this outburst, Ron and Hermione's heads snapped up, and they looked at the two intruders. Tiger froze at the sight of both their faces. Hermione looked as if she hadn't slept in days and was constantly crying, just like Ron did, except that now he was glaring daggers at Draco.

"Malfoy!" He spat the name in a way that made Tiger flinch. He had never been on the receiving end of this glare (and it wasn't even him to whom it was directed). He saw Draco's frown, and just before he would retort with the same malice, Tiger gave him a soft nudge against the shoulder and their eyes met. He pleaded with Draco once again, and the blonde nodded, defeated.

Draco turned back to Ron and Hermione, and said in a calm voice. "Weasley, Granger."

There was an uncomfortable silence, before Tiger nudged Draco once again.

"What?" He hissed angrily.

Tiger just starred at him for a few seconds, and as if Draco had understand what he wanted to say, he growled and turned back to the other two, who had watched this scene, slightly confused. "I just wanted to say… Well, I'm sorry, about Potter."

Ron looked as if he would faint any minute now, but Hermione gave Draco a small smile. "Thank you," she said.

Draco just nodded, and went to sit as far away from those two as possible, but a hand on his arm held him back. He turned back to Tiger, and glared at him. "What?"

Tiger was a bit taken aback by his harsh tone, but answered nonetheless. "Don't you want to introduce me? Obviously you know each other."

"Don't go too far, Tiger, I warn you," Draco hissed at the raven-haired boy. Then he turned back to Hermione and Ron, and introduced them. "Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley," he said, pointing at the two sitting on the couch, "Tiger Ryan," now indicating Tiger. Then he walked to an armchair without looking back to see whether the other boy would follow him.

Which he didn't do. Instead, Tiger went to Hermione and knelt in front of her. "Are you all right? You look really down."

Hermione gave him a small smile before answering. "We've lost our best friend, and now we have received his farewell letter."

"You were friends of Harry Potter?" He felt really sick, taking advantage of his supposed death as a reason to speak with them, but Tiger wanted them to become his friends.

"Yeah; the best."

"Well, I don't know much about him because I lived in America until a few weeks ago. Would you tell me about him? Draco told me a bit, but-"

"Whatever the Ferret told you, is rubbish," spat Ron, annoyed.

"Watch it, Weasel," Draco spat back from across the room.

Tiger wanted to interfere, wanted Draco to stop, but he thought better of it and stayed quiet.

Luckily Hermione spoke up before the situation escalated. "Stop it, both of you." She looked from Ron to Draco, and back to Ron. "Don't you dare start a fight now, Ronald Weasley, or _I_ will fight with you."

Ron literally sank back in his seat and looked at his hands, which were obviously very interesting.

"Wow. Please remind me never to get on the receiving end of your glares," Tiger said playfully. "You're scarier than my old Po… Poetry Professor." Tiger let out a small sigh of relief for his fast reaction. One more letter, and he would have been in need of a good explanation about which Professor was so scary.

"Poetry?" Hermione's question brought him back. "I thought you were a wizard. I mean, you are in Muggle clothes and all, but I wouldn't have thought you really were one."

"I am a wizard," Tiger confirmed to her. "I just like Muggle clothes better than robes - and especially these Muggle clothes." He cast a quick look in Draco's direction just in time to see Draco turning his head back in the other direction. He smiled knowingly before he turned back to Hermione. "I attended a Muggle High School in America, and was taught the wizard stuff at home by my Uncle Jack."

"You mean you had to do double the amount of work?" Hermione asked eagerly.

Tiger smiled at that. 'Typical Hermione. Once you talk about schoolwork, everything around her is forgotten; even the death of her best friend.' But that didn't bother Tiger at all: quite the opposite. She looked so enthusiastic that it brought an even bigger smile to his face.

"It wasn't that bad. I have a good memory, so I didn't have to work too hard." (Which was actually true; when he had started rereading his schoolbooks, he found it very easy to remember everything - even every little detail about every single goblin war there was in his history of magic books.)

"When you went to a Muggle school, did you have any magical friends at all?"

"Not really. We were once in England for a business trip of Uncle Jack's, two years ago now. I couldn't meet up with the people he met most of the time, but I wasn't allowed to go out on my own, so I still haven't seen a lot of the wizarding world. Except the Quidditch World Cup, of course."

There came a snort from Draco's direction but Tiger ignored it, because his last statement obviously had hit its target where Tiger wanted it to.

"You were at the Quidditch World Cup?" Ron asked excitedly. "Do you play Quidditch? What's your favourite team?"

Tiger smiled to himself, proud that he had got Ron's attention at last. Just talk about Quidditch, and he is all yours.

So they talked for a while longer about Quidditch and living in America, and Quidditch in America, until the door opened, and a whole bunch of people entered the room.

Tiger's heartbeat rose as he saw all the people enter. There were Molly and Arthur Weasley who both looked, on the one hand, just as down as Ron and Hermione were when he entered the room, but on the other hand positively shocked (probably because of the news of them being his heirs). The same expression was on Remus Lupin's face, who was the other heir, and had also received a great amount of the Black fortune – just like the Weasleys – and Harry had bequeathed him Grimmauld Place. Then there was Albus Dumbledore, who was in a conversation with Lucius Malfoy.

Tiger had risen at the sight of them, and was once again just about to walk over to them when he heard Draco say,

"Are you coming, Tiger? We want to go."

Tiger winced at the hard tone Draco had used. Obviously the blonde was a bit taken aback about Tiger's previous behaviour.

"See you at Hogwarts," he said, smiling at Hermione at Ron, and then went behind Draco, who was already at the door.

"Wait a minute, Draco." Lucius stopped him just as his son was about to leave the room.

When Tiger came to a stop beside Lucius, the elder Malfoy turned him to the adults, to introduce him. "Tiger Ryan, meet Molly and Arthur Weasley, the parents of Ron," Lucius said, pointing them out.

"Nice to meet you." Tiger shook both their hands.

"And this is Remus Lupin; he will be your Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts."

Tiger smiled at Remus politely, then cast a quick glance at Dumbledore, who smiled back with his twinkling eyes. It had been Tiger's wish that Remus would teach at Hogwarts again so that the werewolf wouldn't be alone with his grief.

Lucius caught the eye-contact between Tiger and Dumbledore, and continued. "You already know Professor Dumbledore."

"I have received your OWL results just this morning, and I was positively surprised. Obviously your uncle was a good teacher."

"He was the best." Tiger smiled when he understood what Dumbledore was talking about. "So, what about my OWL's? How good was I?"

Half the occupants of the room gasped at his forward question. The other half looked unimpressed. Draco just shook his head, knowing that it was his fault that this boy was so bold, and that he had better had to learn to live with it. Lucius was smirking at him, and Dumbledore was practically beaming. Only Remus Lupin hadn't reacted at all. To be honest, he hadn't reacted to anything since he had seen Tiger properly. He just kept starring at the teen. But nobody had noticed it, so far.

"Actually." Dumbledore began, getting the attention of most of the occupants. "You did quite well in all your subjects; all passed with Outstanding, except Divination, which you failed."

"That may be because I hadn't learned it," Tiger replied. He had decided that he didn't want to take Divination anymore, so why not say he never had. "I just don't see the point in staring at tea leaves or doing tarot readings, so I didn't take that subject."

Dumbledore smiled knowingly. He had felt that Tiger might want to give up this subject, after the prophecy. Trelawney's predictions could become a bit unnerving.

"What did you take instead?" Hermione asked interestedly. She and Ron were now standing beside Ron's parents.

"I went to school with Muggles, so you can say I had Muggle Studies. And I had Care Of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy. Next year my Uncle Jack wanted to teach me magical healing (he had found a book about it in the Malfoy's Library, which was very interesting, and he hoped he would get the chance to learn about it) but-" He trailed off, hoping that the questioning would stop now. He wanted to leave. Draco looked very pissed, and there was something in Remus' looking at him which made him quite uncomfortable.

"I think it is time for us to leave, now." Lucius laid a hand on Tiger's shoulder, and led him to the door, where he laid his other hand on Draco's shoulder. Then as they were walking out, Dumbledore stopped them.

"Lucius?" All three men turn around. "You will attend the funeral, won't you?"

"Of course we will. Is that all?"

"Just one more thing: It may be tough times, but we shouldn't forget that there are still positive moments. Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Ryan," Dumbledore looked from Draco to Tiger, "happy birthday to both of you."

"Thanks," Draco said, then he turned and left the room.

"Yeah, thanks," Tiger replied, a little bewildered. He caught a last glimpse of Remus, whose expression had changed from thoughtful to confused, then he practically fled the room.

---------

"Why haven't you told me that it's your birthday?"

They had silently wandered to Madam Malkin's, where both Tiger and Draco were now standing on footstools while Madam Malkin and a second witch were fitting them up, when Tiger broke the silence.

"Why should I?" Draco asked dryly. He was still pissed about Tiger's behaviour at Gringotts, and he wasn't going to let that go so easily.

"I'd have congratulated you. I mean, it is your great day, and all we've done so far was getting me 'presentable', going to Gringotts because I needed money, and now we're here for my new robes. I'm feeling really guilty that I hadn't even known about your birthday."

"Oh yeah, that's great." Draco turned to Tiger, forcing Madam Malkin to wander with him. "You're feeling guilty for something you hadn't even done. What about the things you have done, today?" Draco snapped angrily.

"What do you mean?" Tiger asked confused.

"Let's see: First," he counted with his fingers, "you made me condole with Weasley and Granger on Potter's death; Second: you made me talk to them nicely; Third: you scolded me when I wanted to retort to Weasley, who insulted me first; And fourth: when you had their attention, you forgot about me. You spoke with them for nearly an hour, and didn't even look at me once."

By now Madam Malkin had given up trying to pin his robe to the right length, because Draco didn't stand still for a second.

"Oh, I forgot one. Fifth: you've known for over an hour, now, that today is my birthday, and you haven't congratulated me yet. That's why I didn't tell you; you don't care about me." With that, Draco jumped off his stool, threw off the robes Madam Malkin was pinning up, and ran out of the shop. Tiger just stared after him until the door closed, then he looked to Lucius, who had been sitting in a corner all the time.

"I've screwed it up, haven't I?" he asked with a sigh.

Lucius just smiled, and walked over to him. "Yes, you have. But don't worry, he'll be all right." Lucius reached in his pocket and took out a small purse, which he gave to Tiger. "The robes are paid for, and will be delivered directly to the Manor when they are ready. When you're done here, you can walk around on your own if you like. Meet us at the Leaky Cauldron at four o'clock."

"What about Draco?"

"I'll go speak to him."

Tiger just nodded, and Lucius left the shop in search of his son.

------

When Tiger was done at Madam Malkin's, he had still an hour to pass, so he wandered through Diagon Alley, and would occasionally go into one of the shops. He had also stopped at Fred and George's 'WEASLEYS' WIZARD WHEEZES' (which they had opened a few weeks after they left Hogwarts), but it was too crowded for him to look around properly. After that he visited Magical Menagerie to look for a new owl. When he saw all the owls, he realized there would never be one like Hedwig. He missed his snowy owl so much, but he knew she was fine with Hermione, and he would see her again soon. 'I'm just happy that I loaned her to 'Mione after she and Ron started dating. I don't know what I would have done if I had to leave her behind when the Malfoys took me in.' As he thought about the Malfoys, Harry heard a familiar voice speaking in rage.

"How could you do that? You're such a heartless monster. Get it out of there right now." It was definitely Draco.

Tiger had been on the receiving end of Draco's insults long enough that he would recognize his voice out of hundreds. Curious, Tiger looked around a corner to see what was going on. He found Draco standing in front of a big terrarium, in which a huge cobra was creeping towards a tiny fluffball which Tiger assumed to be its next meal. Draco had his wand in his hand, and pointed it at the man. "Get it out right now, or I swear you will be the snake's next meal."

"Leave it, boy. Do you really thing I would risk my live for an ordinary cat? Obviously you don't know that this is a poisonous snake. If you would excuse me now, I've work to do." With that, the man turned around and left, but Draco wouldn't give up. He walked after him, and pushed him rudely against the wall.

"You will get it out of there right now, or-"

"Draco." Lucius had laid a hand on his son's shoulder to calm him down, and to get his attention. "It's too late," he said softly.

When Draco saw that the snake was curled up in a corner again, and the cat was gone, he glared at the shop assistant with such hatred that the pour man whished he had chosen to battle the snake instead. After a long while, Draco turned around and left the shop without a word. Lucius then gave the salesman one of his own glares, which were even more frightening than Draco's, and then followed his son out of the shop. On his way to the door he passed Tiger, with a nod, who was on his way to the counter.

The shop assistant had slumped on a stool behind the counter, and had his head in his hands when Tiger arrived. Slowly he stood up, and forced a smile on his face. "What can I do for you?" he asked politely, propping his hands lazily on the counter.

"First," Tiger said slowly, propping himself up on the counter, and leaning in towards the man a few inches, "I want to warn you to never cross his way again, or you'll really be sorry." He leaned in even closer before he spoke again. "Secondly, if I ever see or hear about you feeding kittens to snakes again, I will come back, and then you'll wish Draco was here instead." With every inch Tiger came nearer, the shop assistant backed away more. "And if you think I won't keep my word…" He paused for effect, then he laughed slightly, and shock his head. "Well, don't even think about it."

By now the man's back was against the wall, and he was slowly sinking to the floor, shivering like mad. Smirking, Tiger turned around and made his way to the door. After a few steps, he heard a relieved sigh from behind the counter.

"Oh, I nearly forgot." He turned back again to see the man slumping back to the floor, missing the stool by mere inches. With the sweetest smile he could master, Tiger walked around the counter and helped the deadly frightened man to sit on his stool. Then he reached in his pocket and took out a Galleon, which he put in one of the man's shaking hands. "For the trouble we caused you." After that, Tiger left the shop in search of the Malfoys.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	9. Draco’s Birthday Party

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 9 - Draco's Birthday Party**

/-

/-

/-

When they were back at Malfoy Castle, Draco left the other two with the words 'Call me when it's time to go', and went straight to his room. He hadn't spoken one word since Tiger found him and his Father at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. When Draco was gone, Lucius and Tiger sat down in the living room, drinking some tea which the house elves had brought them.

"So, what happened after I left?" Lucius asked, sipping at his tea.

"I had a little chat with the salesman, is all," Tiger answered innocently, but a mischievous smile betrayed his calm voice.

"About what?" Lucius asked intrigued.

"Nothing special, really; just a little warning here, and a threat there. You know what it's like."

"Yes, I can imagine." There was silence for a moment, in which both of them thought about what happened that afternoon.

Then Lucius spoke again. "So, what do you think about your new life so far? You're aware that you're drifting off into your old one with high speed, aren't you?" There was fierceness in his tone that made Tiger wince.

"Was it really that bad?" Tiger asked carefully.

"I don't know. You tell me."

"I think I should go apologize to him." Harry rose and walked over to Lucius. He put one hand in his pocket. "Would you take care of him for a moment?" He pulled his hand out of his pocket and gave Lucius a small furry ball.

With a smile, Lucius took the cat and then looked back up at Tiger. "You know, he was right. This isn't an ordinary cat."

"I know. And it will never be." He left the room, knowing that neither of them was speaking about the little kitten which was now in Lucius' care.

-----

When Tiger entered Draco's room, he found the boy lying on his bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. Slowly he walked over to the bed, and sat down beside the blond. A few minutes passed without them saying a word. Draco was still staring at the ceiling, and Tiger was inspecting his fingers, which seemed to be very interesting. Eventually Tiger spoke, but he kept his gaze on his fingers.

"I'm sorry, you know." He paused, waiting for a reaction from Draco. When he didn't get one, Tiger continued. "It was wrong of me to ignore you like I did. I was excited to see them again. I hadn't seen them once this summer, and they hadn't written to me."

"Nice friends you have," Draco snarled, buthe still didn't move. Tiger chose to ignore his comment, and continue.

"I've never seen them in such a condition before, and it pains me that I'm the reason. Butdon't get me wrong; I appreciate what you did for me, I really do. But still, I don't want them to be like this, and when I can help, I will do that. I can't have the same friendship with them which Harry had, but I don't want to lose them."

"Oh, my goodness," Draco cried, all of a sudden. Tiger turned around and looked down in big silver-blue eyes.

"What happened?" He asked worriedly.

"I've created a Hufflepuff," Draco whined pitifully.

"Oh, you're such a drama queen!" Tiger shoved Draco to the side, and lay down next to him. He stared at the ceiling for a few moments before he spoke again. "I could never be a Hufflepuff."

"And why not, if I may ask?" Draco had rolled on his side, his head propped up on his hand, and stared down at Tiger.

"Oh, let's see…" Tiger put his hand to his chin to think about it. "There is the fact that I'm intriguing, frightening, cunning, and of course, hot as hell."

"Oh, I didn't know you were talking about me. Thanks anyway." Draco smiled down at the other boy until he was pushed down, so that Tiger was now looking down at him.

"Very funny, _Malfoy_," he spat in mock anger.

"Ouch, that hurts."

"Hoped so." Tiger smirked - a real Malfoy smirk.

"Hey, what's that?" Draco sat up immediately, and watched as Tiger did the same.

"What's what?" He asked bewildered.

"That was a Malfoy smirk."

"Oh, was it now?" There it was again.

"Don't do that." Draco put a hand over Tiger's mouth to stop him from smirking. "You have no right to do that."

A mischievous glint grew in Tiger's eyes, and in the next moment Draco felt a tongue softly licking his hand. He stared at Tiger with big eyes when he felt the tongue slowly wandering, licking its way to his fingers. The tongue stroked every finger with the gentleness of a feather before it rested at the tip of his middle finger and then it drew small circles around the tip sinking a bit with every round until the full finger was enclosed in Tiger's mouth.

"Oh, god," Draco moaned slightly, when the other boy began to suck on his finger, his tongue still stroking it softly.

Tiger felt Draco falling, so he helped him gently lie down, never releasing his finger in the process. Then Tiger swung one leg over Draco's body and sat down, straddling the blonde. Slowly he let go of his finger, receiving a whine from the blonde. He then pinned both of Draco's hands over his head with one of his own. His other hand was stroking one of Draco's arms and wandering down his side, causing the blond to shiver. Their faces were a few inches apart, when Tiger heard a small _pop!_ He motioned for the house elf to leave, and then he let his lips ghost over Draco's.

"Are you still mad at me?" he whispered against the other boy's lips.

"How could I be?" Draco answered softly, leaning against Tiger's lips, but they were gone.

"Good," Tiger said, sitting up, and taking his hands off Draco.

"What?" Draco asked confused. "What are you doing?" He watched helplessly as Tiger got up and stood beside the bed, looking down at Draco.

"Your father is waiting for us."

"But-" Draco all but whined again, and looked down at himself.

Tiger followed his gaze then he smirked at Draco. "Don't take too long." He winked at him, and walked to the door.

"Damn." Draco plumped back down on the bed and closed his eyes in resignation. When he felt a weight pushing down on the mattress he opened them again and found himself face to face with Tiger. "Forget something?" He asked sarcastically.

"Actually, yes," Tiger replied, and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "Happy Birthday, my Dragon." Then he left a fully aroused and totally stunned Draco, and exited the room.

-----

Half an hour later, Lucius, Tiger, and a pouting Draco were standing in front of the ancestor room, ready to leave for Malfoy Manor. Their clothes and belongings were already there so that they could shower and change without haste.

"Ready?" Lucius asked.

"Yes. I'm eager to see the Manor." Tiger smiled brightly.

"Draco?"

"Hurray," he answered sarcastically.

"I don't know what happened between you two up in your room, and I don't know if I want to."

"Draco had a hard time with me, and obviously hasn't cooled down yet."

Lucius raised an eyebrow in amusement, while Tiger smiled mischievously. Draco just glared at them both, then walked into the ancestor room. Lucius went to follow his son, when Tiger held him back. "Where is the-"

"It's already at the Manor." Lucius smiled, knowing what Tiger was asking for. Then he let the boy into the ancestor room.

It really was just an ordinary room, except for the many portraits of generations of Malfoys. There was one of Lucius with his wife and maybe three year old son. Little Draco was on his mother's lap, who was sitting in an armchair, but the little one tried to climb up to his father, who was standing behind them. When he had escaped his mother and was in the arms of his father, little Draco turned around and waved at Tiger. Tiger looked from the happy little boy to his proud looking father, and then down to an amused looking Narcissa. He noticed that she was looking to the side of the portrait, as if she was searching for someone behind the scene. That brought Tiger's thoughts back to the question he had asked Draco the night before: His Mother _and_ Sev?

He got his answer, like a punch in the face. When he walked out of the ancestor room (he was the last one, Draco and Lucius were already at the Manor), he saw Narcissa Malfoy and Severus Snape in a deep embrace. Snape was kissing Narcissa's head lovingly.

He gasped loudly but covered it up with a cough. Four pairs of eyes turned to look at him; one warmly inviting, one sceptical, one daring, and one full of pure annoyance.

"Narcissa, Severus, this is Tiger Ryan. Tiger, this is my wife Narcissa, and her lover Severus Snape."

Tiger coughed once again when Lucius called Snape Narcissa's lover.

"Is there a problem?" Snape asked daringly.

"Not at all, sir. It's just… Well, I've never heard a man call another man the 'lover' of his wife so openly."

"I thought you told him, Draco?" Lucius looked at Draco questioningly.

"You interrupted us before we could have gone any further than we already had."

Tiger and Lucius knew what Draco was talking about, but Snape obviously interpreted more to it.

"What did you do to my godson?" He glared at Tiger, demanding the truth, hoping for a lie. Tiger shot a quick smirk to Draco then he looked back to Snape.

"Nothing that needed a watchful godfather to worry about. We talked a lot, and we fought a bit, then we talked some more." He let that sink in, knowing you could read more into it, with the right hint. Before anyone could speak, he continued. "Oh, yeah; and then there was a kiss."

"A what? You kissed my godson?"

"Why not? It is his birthday: I had to congratulate him."

"One kiss? Just a birthday kiss?" Snape looked from Tiger to Draco.

"Just a kiss, Sev. Don't worry, nothing happened. He wouldn't dare to touch me unsuitably."

"Good, because if he did, I'd have to kill him."

"Phew." Tiger wiped nonexistent sweat of his forehead, and turned to Draco. "Am I glad that I can get you come without a single touch." Tiger left two blushing, one slightly smiling, and one furious person, and went up the stairs. He didn't know which room he would be staying in, but he didn't want to be at the receiving end of an exploding Snape, so he wandered through the upper floor until he saw a house elf coming from one of the rooms. He asked him (his name was Toby) where his and Draco's rooms were, and the elf led him to the second landing to his room. Draco's was on the other side of the corridor.

His room wasn't nearly as nice as his room at Malfoy Castle was. The walls were grey, and everything seemed cold and uninviting. Only the small box on the bed, from which he could hear a small purr, made him stay for a while. He sat down on the bed and took the kitten out of its 'prison'.

"You're really something special, aren't you?" He held the kitten up to look in its forest green eyes, then he set it on his lap and stroked its fur. He smiled. Black fur, with blue spikes.

"Yes, totally out of the ordinary." He laughed when the little kitten nibbled at his finger. "Are you hungry? Did the house elves give you something to eat?" Tiger called for Toby and asked him for some milk. Two minutes later the kitten was back in the box with a small bowl full of milk, and Tiger went to explore Draco's room. He was surprised when he found the blond already there.

"I didn't know where you were staying, but I figured you would find my room anyway." His voice wasn't cold, but there was something in it which made Tiger shiver. Slowly he walked over to the bed and sat down at the edge of it.

"Mad again?" he asked carefully.

"Not really." He gave Tiger a small smile. "But there is something I'd like to discuss with you."

"And that is?" What happened next went far too fast for Tiger to register. One moment he was sitting at the foot of the bed with Draco propped up against the headboard, and the next he was pinned down on the mattress, straddled, and had Draco's lips on his own. This kiss was nothing like the first. It was hard, it was passionate and it was answered with the same force. One careless moment and Draco found himself pinned to the bed with Tiger's hand wrapped in his hair. They were totally unaware of the knock, and the creak of the door. Tiger's tongue licked Draco's lips demanding entrance, which the blond granted.

"Draco, I just want to… Oh, my god." The tips of their tongues met for just the briefest moment, so that they couldn't tell if they met at all, when they were pulled back to reality by Severus Snape.

"Out, now." he growled with an expression of pure horror, which made Tiger bite his lip so he wouldn't laugh. He got off of Draco and helped the blond sit up.

"See you later." He gave Draco another long kiss, which caused Snape to give another comment.

"Did you have to do that?" he asked disgustedly. Tiger smiled when their lips parted. He gave Draco a quick mischievous wink, then he turned around and stepped up to Snape.

"I didn't know you were jealous. Sorry." Then Harry pecked Severus on the lips, and fled the room before the Potions Master could recover from the shock.

------

At quarter to seven, Tiger went down to the big dining room where they would have their meal at seven thirty. Afterwards they would go to the ballroom, where they would have the cake, and where Draco would open his presents.

In the room were only Lucius, Narcissa, and Severus, the latter daring him with his eyes to come over to get himself murdered. Narcissa and Severus weren't standing together. Officially, Narcissa and Lucius were married. Nobody knew about Severus, and that wouldn't change any time soon.

After he had left Draco's room that afternoon, he ran into Lucius, with whom he had a little chat about what he could and what he couldn't say at the party. There wasn't too much which he couldn't say, but what he couldn't say was very important. Oh, and he shouldn't kiss Snape again, or the Professor would kill him.

After this lecture, they talked a bit about Tiger's 'past', and they actually came up with some very interesting adventures.

At quarter past six, Lucius had left Tiger so he could get showered and dressed (in robes, which Lucius insisted upon.)

Now he was dressed in night-blue dress robes, which hid most of his perfect body. However, he couldn't deny that he looked really good in the robes.

"Where's Draco?" he asked, as he walked over to the adults.

"Probably still trying to wash your scent off him," Snape snapped angrily.

"Obviously you have succeeded," Tiger said, smiling at him. "It's just sad you've lost the small amount of politeness you had in the process."

"That's it! I'll kill him!" Snape growled. He grabbed for his wand, and pointed it at Tiger. But before he could hex him, Lucius and Narcissa were between the two.

"Tiger, that's enough. I think you should apologize to Severus." Lucius glared at him, and Tiger nodded in defeat. He walked over and held his hand out to the fuming Potions Master.

"I'm sorry…Severus." Snape had taken the hand before Tiger had spoken his name. Before he had it fully outspoken the hand was gone again, and Tiger hid behind Lucius, because Snape was ready to kill him again. Narcissa was having trouble stopping him.

"It's okay, Sev. Calm down, please."

"You know," Tiger began, lurking behind Lucius, "I _could_ kiss it and make it better."

This time there came a hex, but it missed both Tiger and Lucius and hit the wall, which now had a deep burning hole in it. Lucius just glared at Snape, then he walked with Tiger out of the room.

"Would you please explain to me why you're doing this? Do you want to die?"

"I'm sorry; I really am. But I can't help myself. For five years I wanted to get back at him, and now I can't stop myself anymore."

"I think you should wait here 'til dinner is ready. You can welcome the guests together with Draco. He will be here any minute, and the guests will come at seven o'clock."

He hadn't ended his little speech when Draco came down the stairs, and the first guests arrived. For the next twenty minutes or so Draco greeted the guests and introduced them to Tiger. So far he had met two aunts and uncles, three cousins, one grandmother and grandfather (all of them Narcissa's family; the Black family), and another aunt and uncle (Lucius' brother), along with their children; eleven year old twins - boys. Then Draco's friends arrived. Every Slytherin of their year, some of the coming seventh years, and even some who had already graduated came. Everything went well. Tiger was polite to everyone who was polite to him, but then came Pansy.

"Dracy!" She shouted, when she entered the house.

"Should I leave you two alone?" Tiger whispered to Draco.

"Leave, and you'll die," The blond hissed back. Then he smiled politely when Pansy wrapped her arms around him, and began to claim him. Draco mouthed 'help me' to Tiger, and the other boy coughed to get Pansy's attention.

"Oh. Hello." She smiled at him dryly, obviously annoyed about the interruption. But when she took a better look, her smile grew wider. "I don't think we have met before. I'm Pansy Parkinson." She held her hand out.

"Pansy Parkinson." Tiger repeated, as he took the offered hand and kissed it politely. "May I take that literally?"

Pansy yanked her hand away from Tigers grasp and slapped him.

"Apologize," she said, glaring at Tiger, who looked back with a seductive smile, which melted her anger. She apologized for slapping him. Behind her, Draco stifled a laugh, but the next visitor, who had watched the whole thing, came over to them, laughing mercilessly.

"Don't you think you should apologize for your name too, Pansy?" Blaise said, through his laugher. She slapped him, and when Tiger and Draco began to laugh with him, she strolled off. Blaise was still holding his cheek when he turned to Tiger.

"Mind telling me how you made her apologize?" Tiger just looked at him, and then Blaise nodded. "Got it," he said.

"Blaise, this is Tiger Ryan. Tiger, this is my best friend, Blaise Zabini. He always likes to be the last to arrive. Sometimes I think he hides outside and waits until everyone is here." He smiled at his best friend, who just shrugged it off and turned to Tiger.

"Tiger?" Blaise took Tiger's hand and kissed it more then politely. "May I take _that_ literally?"

"You know, I could slap you now for being so rough, and mocking me. But I like it." Then he leaned in and kissed Blaise's cheek - the one Pansy had slapped. "Better?"

"Much."

Draco had watched this theatre open mouthed, but when Tiger had kissed Blaise, it was too much. He just wanted to leave. He turned around and made to go to the dining room, but was held back by a strong hand on his arm. He glared at Tiger with pure hatred, but the other boy didn't react to it. Instead, he pulled Draco back to him and forced his lips on the blond's. There were a few half-hearted attempts to stop him, but Draco gave in to the kiss, and they forgot everything around them.

"Dinner will be served in… Oh, god, not again." Severus Snape's voice interrupted them, but before Tiger could say one word, Draco had his hand over his mouth.

"Not a word." Tiger had told him what he had done to Snape, and Draco had volunteered to help when he got such an impulse.

Unfortunately, he hadn't thought about the things Tiger could do with his tongue when he had put his hand over his mouth, so he willed himself to stay calm while he talked to Severus. "We… We'll come in a minute."

Snape nodded, and left.

When he was gone, Tiger grabbed Draco's hand and looked into those icy blue eyes. "One Minute?"

"Wow." By now Blaise had got back his ability to speak (he had watched to two with great interest), and was smiling brightly. "You two are…the hottest couple I've ever seen. God, look at me." He pointed down his length where somewhere halfway down was an obvious bulge in his robes. "Just from watching you, I'm getting hard."

"Not only you," Tiger said with a smile. Then he threw one arm about each boy's shoulders, and led them to the dining room.

Before they entered the room, Tiger looked down at his two companions once again. He couldn't see anything that would betray Draco's state of arousal, but Blaise' was a problem. He leaned into Blaise and whispered. "Snape's lips smell like horribly failed strengthening potion." Blaise looked shocked at Tiger, but obviously it helped; his bulge was gone.

"You've kissed him?"

"Once, to piss him off."

"Which led to him trying to kill you, so please just don't speak to him. Promise," Draco said.

"I promise I won't speak to him." Tiger smiled innocently.

"Or about him."

"Damn."

"Tiger..." Draco looked at him sternly.

"Okay, okay, I'll behave." With that, they entered the room, and while Blaise sat at the other end of the table with his classmates, Draco and Tiger sat down at Lucius' left, across from Narcissa and Snape.

"Oh, bugger." Tiger muttered under his breath.

------

Dinner was uneventful so far, except for the one time when Tiger had opened his mouth to comment on something Snape had said, but fortunately Draco interfered in time, and except a few stares, everything was fine.

That was, until someone asked about the subjects they'd chosen for next year. After Draco had listed his courses, it was Tiger's turn.

"I don't know, yet. I haven't seen the electives. But I think with my good OWL results, I'd like to study the subjects I need to become an Auror."

"You need Potions for that," Snape stated flatly. Tiger just looked at him. "I've heard you have an Outstanding in Potions."

Tiger nodded and turned to Draco, then he whispered, "I don't know anything about potions."

"You have an O." Draco stated calmly.

"No, Tiger has an O, but that's Harry's brain." He tipped at his forehead. "Harry has… I don't even know what he's got. What should I do?"

"Insult him." Draco said flatly.

"What, but you-"

"What is it, cat get your tongue?"

"He had to promise not to speak to or about you, Sev. But obviously you want a conversation, so it's your fault if he starts again."

"Just a simple talk about potions, Draco."

"Go on then." Draco nodded to Tiger, and the other boy turned to Snape.

"Yes, I have an Outstanding in Potions, just like every other subject I've been taught in."

"Then you won't mind me asking a few questions?"

"Is that really necessary, Severus?" Lucius asked.

"I'm just curious, Lucius. An O for being home-educated is very high standard: Just about one potion?" When Lucius nodded, Snape turned back to Tiger. "Mr. Ryan, do you know what…say…the Polyjuice Potion is?"

"Sev that's not fair. That is one of the more advanced potions you taught me in private. Tiger you can't know that. He's mocking you." Draco pleaded with Tiger to stay quiet but the other boy just smiled at him and turned back to Snape.

"The Polyjuice Potion is a potion which allows the drinker to turn in another person an hour per portion."

"Any person?" Snape asked, waiting for one little mistake to materialize.

"Yes." Tiger said. He paused, waiting for Snape to tell him that was wrong. The moment the Potions Master opened his mouth, Tiger spoke again. "But only if you have a hair or nail of the person you want to transform into."

"How do you brew it?" Snape asked angrily.

"It is one of the most complicated potions I've ever made, and it needs time; one month, to be exact."

"And its ingredients?"

From then on, there was a little question and answer game between the two of them, which changed from waiting for failure, to earnest discussion. It ended with Tiger saying that he was looking for a more permanent method than Polyjuice Potion, and Snape beginning to explain about the Marrocaro Potion. But that was when Lucius cut in, and said that that was another potion, and Severus had agreed to ask about just one of them. So the conversation got a new topic, and while the adults were talking about politicians, Draco and Tiger were whispering about the previous conversation.

"Liar. Why do you know about that potion so much?" Tiger smirked then he whispered.

"We used it in second year to try to prove that you were Slytherin's heir."

"What? When? And who is 'we'?"

So Tiger told him the story about them brewing the potion, poisoning Crabbe and Goyle, going to the Slytherin common room, and even about Hermione's failure.

"That's how you knew what would happen when someone used fur."

"Don't tell her you know. She knows I hadn't told it to anyone up to my death, especially not to you."

"Don't worry, I won't say anything. But I can laugh when I see her, can't I?"

"Draco!" Tiger slapped him on the arm.

"Ouch. That hurts. Make it better," Draco whined.

"No, it's your own fault." Tiger crossed his arms in mock anger.

"Please? It hurts so much, I'll die." By now Draco was pouting, heartbroken.

"Don't do that. That's cruel." Tiger stroked his thumb gently over Draco's lower lip. "Do you know how sweet you look when you do that?"

Draco redoubled his effort, and whined slightly, which caused Tiger to cave. He carefully stroked Draco's 'hurt' arm, and leaned in to give him a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Better?" he whispered against his mouth.

"Much." Draco smiled, trying to catch Tiger's lips, but the other boy had already pulled away, and was now eating his dessert as if nothing had happened. Nobody had seen this little scene, and because of that, everybody looked at Draco, bewildered, when he let out a frustrated sigh.

------

After dinner they went into the ballroom, which was decorated for the party, and enjoyed the party.

When it was time for the cake, Tiger remembered for the first time that it was his birthday, too. The cake was a huge Quidditch pitch with two players (both in black, to be neutral), who were chasing after the snitch. On the ground was written 'Happy Birthday Draco and Tiger Sweet 16'

The two boys got the first pieces and then said at once-

"Hm, chocolate."

"Hm, strawberry."

They looked at each other, and then began to laugh. It seemed the cake was charmed to taste just like your favourite cake, or whatever you wanted it to taste like.

When everyone had cake, it was time to open presents. While Draco opened his, Tiger went upstairs to retrieve his own present for Draco. When he came back, there were only a handful of presents untouched on one table but on the other were many books, clothes, sweets or simple envelopes. Harry put his present to the side and watched Draco finishing unwrapping until there were only two presents left. They were two identical long boxes. Before Draco could grab one of them Lucius stood up and walked towards him.

"Tiger, come here please."

Slowly, Tiger walked over to them and stopped beside Draco. Lucius gave both of them a box, and just said that they were from him, Narcissa, and Severus. Both boys opened the presents immediately, and both boys gasped when they took out a brand new Skybreaker broom each; the newest and best broom available.

"That's too much." Tiger just shook his head, while Draco jumped in his father's arms. "No." Tiger nibbled on his lower lip trying to keep himself from being happy about it, because he wouldn't keep it. He couldn't just take it from people he had hated just a week ago. Tears of frustration and self-loathing ran down his cheek. "That's not right. You can't do that. I won't keep it. Take it back. Please take it back."

He held it out for Lucius to take it, but instead, the elder Malfoy pulled the boy closer, and closed his arms around him in a loving embrace. He talked to him for a while, and when they parted, they smiled at each other. Lucius gave Tiger a kiss on his forehead, and then led him to Narcissa and Severus to say his thank you to everyone.

Now there weren't any presents left, but Draco grabbed Tiger's hand and let him back to the middle where he had opened all his presents.

"I'm sorry that I haven't got a present for you, but after Gringotts I was just too angry with you to buy you something, so this is just an 'I'm sorry' present. I'll get you something, I promise." Draco handed Tiger a green envelope.

"You don't need to get me anything."

"Just open it."

Slowly, Tiger opened the envelope, and found a promise signed by Draco. It stated that he would try to not call Hermione 'mudblood', that he would not insult her for her muggle blood, that he would stop insulting the Weasleys about their poverty ('they aren't that poor anymore' Tiger thought to himself), and he would not make fun of their red hair. It was a list of about 100 points, and the last one was 'I promise to make everybody's life hell in any way possible, if they hurt you.'

"It's so sweet," Tiger smiled brightly. "I don't know what to say."

"Then just show me." Draco suggested.

"Close your eyes." Draco closed his eyes, waiting for a kiss which never came. When he opened them again, Tiger stood in front of him with a box in his hands.

"What's that?" Draco asked excitedly.

"I don't know," Tiger said with a smile. "Open it."

Carefully, Draco opened the top of the box, and peeked inside.

"Oh, my god." He threw the top away, and reached for the little furball in the box. "Oh, my god. How? I thought it was too late. I saw the snake, and there was this bulge, and the kitten, it was gone, and the shop assistant wouldn't do anything, and he didn't think it was anything special, but it is. It jus-"

"Draco, you're babbling." Tiger smiled at him.

"Then why don't you stop me?" Tiger just took the kitten and gave it to Narcissa before he pulled Draco into an embrace, and gave him a small kiss on the lips.

"Happy Birthday, Dragon." He wanted to pull away, but Draco didn't let go of him.

"Is that all?" he asked with a small pout.

"I'm afraid it is." Tiger stroked Draco's lower lip with his thumb, and then he whispered "I fear we have to deal with enough consequences by now without giving your guests a free show." He smirked and nodded in the direction of the others. "Pansy has fainted, Snape's probably thinking about buying the book '1000 Potions To Kill Your Godson's Lover', and Blaise seems to be enjoying this scene a bit too much. Not to mention the rest of them, who look as if Merlin himself is standing in front of them."

It was true. Everybody was staring at them (except Pansy, who lay forgotten on the floor) with their mouths open.

"Damn! Father will kill me. He doesn't like it when I behave like that in front of others, especially our family. They don't know…" Draco looked nervously at his guests until his eyes landed on Lucius, who was glaring at him. They held the eye-contact for a while until Tiger spoke, loud enough for everybody to hear.

"Do you think we killed Pansy with our little show?" He looked Draco in the eye, waiting for the boy to catch the hint, and pulled out of the embrace.

Draco just needed a few seconds to take the hint. He smirked and turned to look in Pansy's direction.

"If there is a god..."

The twins were the first to laugh, followed by most of the Slytherins, and even a few adults had to hide a smile.

"My friends…" Lucius rose from his seat and the laugher died down. "I'd say it is time for us to leave the youngster on their own, so they can continue with their immature behaviour." Now it was the adults who laughed. Draco gave his father an angry glare, but it melted immediately when Lucius countered with his own glare, daring his son to continue his actions. Draco gave a resigned nod, and turned to his guests.

"I apologize for my inappropriate behaviour. I hope we haven't ruined this lovely party. Father, I appreciate your offer to give our immature lot a little alone time. We won't do anything that you wouldn't approve of."

Lucius couldn't help but smile at this comment.

Draco smiled slightly in return, when he noticed his father's reaction.

Before Lucius escort the adults to another room, Draco promised to come over before they left the Manor.

-------

The party went really well. Tiger couldn't remember the last time he had had so much fun. 'Last Christmas, maybe' he thought sadly. For a moment, Tiger was lost in thoughts of Sirius, but a loud '_boom!' _brought him back to reality.

By the time he had noticed what had happened, the room was deathly silent. He laughed when he saw nearly everybody looking at each other, dumbfounded. All their faces were covered in chocolate. When he heard giggling from behind the couch, he turned around and found two identical smiling faces looking at him. He indicated with his finger for the twins to stand up and come around the couch.

When the twins were standing in front of him, he looked at them with his most scary 'Malfoy-Look' (which he had recently stolen from Lucius), and asked in a serious voice. "'Bang Boom Brownies', from 'WEASLEYS' WIZARD WHEEZES'?"

"How do you know-" Castor, one of the twins asked. He and his brother Pollux were named after the "heavenly twin" stars of the constellation Gemini. Like the stars, the twins were always considered together. Never would anybody see one twin without the other. And just like the Weasley twins, Castor and Pollux had the annoying habit of finishing each other's sentences.

"-what joke sweets they were?"

Tiger smiled, and ruffled their typically Malfoy-blond hair.

"Let's just say I've had my own experiences with their products." He winked at the twins, and they smiled. But their smiles died down when the door opened, and the adults entered the room in a rush.

"Castor and Pollux Malfoy, what on earth have you done this time?"

The twins winced at the severe tone. Slowly they turned around, not daring to meet their father's gaze.

"I demand an answer, boys."

"It-"

"We-" They both began at the same time, but before they could say one more word, Tiger rose from the couch, standing behind the twins, his left hand placed on Castor's right shoulder, his right on Pollux' left.

Smiling at the adults sheepishly, Tiger said, "It wasn't their fault."

"Don't even try to defend them," came Pansy's nerve grating voice from the other side of the room, where every 'victim' stood. "They offered me the brownie and I saw them serving everybody else, too."

Approving murmurs came from the others, and rose to an annoying volume before Lucius' harsh "Quiet!" calmed them down.

"Tiger, please go on."

Tiger nodded to Lucius and continued his story (which he had thought up just now). "I had persuaded the twins to serving the brownies to everybody. They didn't know what they were. It really wasn't their fault. And besides, nothing happened which can't be repaired with a simple cleaning spell, right?" He put on his sweetest and most innocent smile, and achieved his goal immediately. Lucius spoke a cleaning charm, and after one last knowing look at Tiger, he led the adults back to their own little party.

The twins waited until the door closed before they turned and smiled at Tiger.

"Thanks, mate. You're really-"

"-a great guy. We hope-"

"-we'll be sorted into your House-"

"-so we can prank together. I'm sure-"

"-you'll never be punished for anything-"

"-when you can convince _the_ Malfoys-"

"-of our innocence."

"And I think you two just hope you'll be sorted in the same house as Tiger to guarantee to never get on the receiving end of his pranks." The twins turned around to be faced with three smirking Malfoys.

"Dad! Uncle Lucius! Draco!" With each name spoken the twins took one step back and finally hid behind Tiger, who mirrored the elder Malfoy's smirk.

"There! Do you see that?" Draco pointed at Tiger's face.

"You were right, Draco," his Uncle Alvin said. "That's a real Malfoy smirk."

"Stop it, Tiger." Draco demanded.

"Make me," Tiger dared, smirking even more. Draco wanted to put his hand over Tiger's mouth, but then he remembered what had happened the other times he had done that, and stopped his hand in midair.

"Just stop it, okay?"

"Why, are you afraid of touching me? You know, I remember a time not too long ago - to be precise, after opening your gifts - where you couldn't get enough of me. I thought you would never let go of me again. But don't worry; I won't do anything to you. You know, I will just talk and talk and talk and maybe I'll reach your right nerves and get you over the edge and hmmpf-" There was the hand, again.

"That's enough!" Draco said, annoyed, while praying for Tiger to behave, and at the same time to not.

By now everybody was looking at them. Even the twins had dared to come out from behind Tiger to watch the scene. When Draco had stopped Tiger, they cast a quick glance at their father and uncle, and were stunned to find them both slightly smiling at them.

"I think it's time for you two to go to bed, don't you think?"

"But Dad-"

"-the party isn't over yet."

"We want to stay a bit longer."

"Okay, then let's sit down and talk about what had happened with those brownies."

"I…think it'd be better to go to bed. Right, Castor?" Pollux asked his brother, between big, fake yawns

"De…finite…ly." Castor copied his twin, and the two left the room without another word. As if this was a signal, everybody went back to their previous conversations.

"You know, Luc, they remind me of us sometimes," Alvin said, smiling at his brother.

"Oh, no, Al. We were never like them. We put mice and frogs in the girls' dorms in our first year. They will probably find a way to transform them into mice and frogs."

"Yeah, I think you're right. But I think if Draco and Tiger had grown up with each other, they would be just like the twins. What do you think, boys?" Alvin turned to the boys, and his mouth fell open at the sight of Draco.

The younger Malfoy was standing on somewhat shaky legs, his eyes closed, and his head thrown back. His lips were slightly parted, and his breathing was unsteady. His heart was beating twice as fast as normal. His hand was still over Tiger's mouth, but was hidden behind a book, which Tiger seemed to be reading.

Tiger looked up from the book, and locked eyes with the two Malfoys. There was no hint in his eyes that anything was out of the ordinary, but a low moan from Draco gave them away.

When the two elder Malfoys adopted identically confused faces, Tiger's eyes twinkled mischievously, and he slowly lowered the book until there were two loud gasps, followed by another moan from Draco.

Slowly, Tiger withdrew Draco's finger from his mouth, causing Draco to look at him questioningly.

"Why?" he whined, when he saw Tiger smirking.

"Don't want to ruin your new robes, now do we?" With one last look at the bulge in Draco's robes, and a 'Malfoy-smirk', he left the room, three dumbfounded-looking Malfoys following his every move with lust-filled eyes.

"He is cruel," Draco commented on Tiger's hip-swinging departure, shoving his hand in his robe pocket to hide his arousal.

"He is evil," Lucius added, straightening his posture to calm himself down.

"He is brutal," Alvin nodded in approval, after taking a deep breath.

"He is a Malfoy," they concluded at once. The three looked at each other, smirked, and together, they left the room.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	10. Heart to Heart conversation

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 10 - Heart to Heart conversation**

/-

/-

/-

The next few days following Draco and Tiger's birthday had been uneventful. Draco had spent most of the time with his mother and Severus, while Tiger and the twins had discovered a lot of the hidden passages of Malfoy Manor.

Alvin Malfoy had decided to stay a bit longer with his brother, so Castor and Pollox would be there as well. Normally the twins would play one prank after another when they were unsupervised by their father, but with Tiger they had so much fun exploring the mansion and planning pranks for when school started, that they hadn't time to actually put any into action yet.

As for the relationship between Tiger and Draco - well, there was none. At least none that deserved to be called a relationship. They hadn't seen much of each other when there was no one else around.

The morning after their birthday, Draco had gone to Tiger's room to find it empty. He searched for him for awhile, finally finding him in the library behind a huge pile of books. At first Tiger didn't notice him. Not until Draco spoke, did he realise that he wasn't alone anymore.

"What are you reading?" he had asked.

"Potions," Tiger had answered, without looking up. "I'm searching for the Marrocaro Potion."

"Why are you doing that? Why did you even have to mention it yesterday? Don't you think Sev will get suspicious?"

"I don't think so. I think he will be delighted that I know about it. You remember how we talked about Polyjuice Potion."

"Of course I do. What about it?"

"I actually enjoyed talking about it with Snape, and I don't think it is too bad to know about Potions. That's why I plan to reread the first five Potions books and some others, while we're here and at Malfoy Castle. I've already discovered a way to change your voice as well, when you are transformed, but it is hard to do. That's why most of the time people only change the outward appearance, and not the voice."

"What is it that changes the voice?" Draco's curiosity had gotten the best of him. And so he had forgotten all about his former plans to ask Tiger if he wanted to try their new brooms, and listened to the details of the potion.

But they had been interrupted after just a few minutes, when Narcissa and Severus entered the library. Upon hearing Tiger and Draco talking, Severus wanted to join them, but Narcissa reminded him that they were just there to pick Draco up. So the three of them left shortly after the adults' arrival, and that was the last time the two teenagers had seen each other, except for meals, where they sat at different ends of the table, because Tiger had decided to join the twins.

It wasn't that Tiger was angry with Draco for abandoning him. No. Draco being busy meant he could stay at the library as long as he wanted, or wander around with the twins if he felt like it.

What made him a bit uncomfortable was the fact that Narcissa seemed to be trying to keep Draco away from him. That day in the library, she had given Tiger a cold glare when she noticed how close her son had been standing to Tiger. Ever since then she involved Draco in a conversation when the blond was about to talk to Tiger, or when she noticed Draco looking at him longingly when Tiger was oblivious, seducing him by eating his dessert just the way he did.

-----

The evening after everybody had left, and Draco and Tiger returned to Malfoy Castle (Lucius had to attend a Death Eater meeting, so he stayed at the Manor for the night), Draco tried to talk to Tiger, but the raven-haired boy instantly went to his room. Draco followed him, and found Tiger sitting on his bed. He ignored Draco when the boy came nearer; instead, he played with Spike, Draco's kitten. The blond had named the kitten Spike because Tiger and Emerald were already taken.

"Oh, come on, Tiger. Would you please talk to me?" Draco stopped in front of the bed and stared down at Tiger, but there was no reaction. "I know I haven't paid you much attention the last few days, but I told you that I don't see my mother that often. You can't be mad at me for spending time with my mum and godfather," Draco almost shouted, in disappointment.

"I'm not angry with you," Tiger muttered in a low voice.

"Then what gives you the right to act like this?" Draco's frustration rose with every passing second. What had he done to deserve such a cold shoulder? "If you aren't angry with me for abandoning you, why don't you tell me what's wrong with you? It didn't seem to be such a problem for you when it was the other way around, when you left me hanging on more than one occasion." Draco paced up and down in front of the bed, trying to keep calm, but his temper let him down, and he started shouting again.

"I don't get you, Tiger. One moment you are a total bastard, and the next you seem to break with one single word. What is going on with you?"

"I'm jealous, okay?" Tiger shouted back, jumping up from the bed and staring angrily at Draco.

"What?" Draco asked in disbelief. His anger disappeared with Tiger's outburst.

"Isn't it hilarious? Harry bloody Potter is jealous of his archenemy, Draco Malfoy. Oh, wait; I forgot. It isn't Harry Potter anymore, but Tiger fucking Ryan. And that is exactly why I am jealous. Because once again I lost my family, and am left alone." By now it was Tiger's time to pace around. He stopped, and turned to face Draco. The blond was shocked to see tears in the other boy's eyes, but he kept quiet. Tiger took one deep breath to calm himself down before he spoke again.

"Don't get me wrong," he said in a pleading tone. "Seeing you with your mother makes me smile because I'm happy to see that, despite every rumour about your family, you are loved by them dearly. But it gave me a heartache when I saw the cold look your mother gave me. It was then that I realised I've lost my family for the second time in my life, and it doesn't seem that I will be welcomed into yours any time soon." With every word spoken, his voice got quieter, and at the end he even turned his back to Draco, and was now staring out of the window. Silence fell upon them, only interrupted by low sobs coming from Tiger, his tears running freely down his cheeks now.

Slowly Draco walked over to him, but before he could reach him, Tiger spoke again.

"I lost my mother when I was a baby. I never had a chance to get to know her. My aunt wasn't exactly fond of me, so I couldn't see her as a mother. But when I met Mrs. Weasley, I realized what it was like to have a mother. She had always been there for me, and now I've lost her, and in losing her, I have lost her whole family. I lost Ron and Hermione, who were like a brother and sister to me, and I loved them just like that. We will never be as close as they were with Harry." Tiger turned around to face Draco, tears streaming down his face. "It hurts, Draco."

Draco took the last step forward, and wrapped his arms around Tiger. "Shh!" Draco stroked Tiger's hair soothingly, and whispered softly in his ear. "I'm sorry. I didn't know how close you really were to all of them." He led Tiger to the bed, and sat down with Tiger in his lap and his head buried in the crook of his neck. "I wish there had been another way to protect you, but there wasn't. I'm sorry."

"No, you're not." Came a whisper from the crook of Draco's neck.

Draco carefully pulled away from Tiger and held him at arms-length to look into his mysteriously shining eyes.

"You're not," Tiger repeated. He stood up from Draco's lap and sat down in the middle of the bed while Draco settled down at the head of it, facing Tiger. "And we both know it. I wouldn't be here if there had been any other way, and you know that."

"You're right." Draco smiled slightly. "I'm glad that you're here and not with the Weasleys or Grangers. But still, I'm sorry that you have to suffer like this. Come here." Draco patted the spot next to him on the bed, but instead of sitting down next to him, Tiger lay down and rested his head in Draco's lap.

Instantly Draco had to take a deep breath because of the pressure on his cock, and the way Tiger was laying on him - face buried in his crotch. 'Whoever invented these thin trousers doesn't know what one has to suffer because of Tiger,' Draco thought, with a grimace.

"Tiger," he said carefully, stroking Tiger's hair.

"Hm?" Tiger hummed in Draco's groin.

'Oh, god. Why do you hate me so much?' Draco closed his eyes, and laid his head against the headboard. There was a moment of silence, then Draco felt Tiger shift. When he opened his eyes and looked down, he found Tiger looking at him, appearing totally unaware of what he had done. He smiled innocently at Draco, waiting for him to speak.

"You okay?" Draco asked, still stroking Tiger's head. His hand wandered to Tiger's face and caressed his cheek softly.

"I think so." Tiger laid into the caress. "Just a bit tired." He lay back down in Draco's lap and wrapped his arms around Draco. "Stay here?" he muttered against the blonde's cock, causing him to moan slightly.

"D-don't…" Draco hissed as he felt Tiger's hands wandering from his back to his bottom. "Stop."

Tiger pulled his hands away from Draco and sat up, looking at the blond a bit hurt. "Sorry," he pouted, heartbroken. He turned his back to Draco, trying to stand up, but Draco gripped his hand to stop him.

"No. I meant 'don't stop'." Draco caressed his hand, waiting for him to turn around. "Tiger, please."

Smirking to himself, Tiger tried not to show his feelings when he turned around and smiled shyly at Draco.

"You're sweet." He gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and then lay down in Draco's lap. "Sleep well, my Dragon," he murmured in Draco's groin, before he wrapped his arms around him tightly.

"Tiger," Draco moaned loudly, when he felt the pressure on his cock. "Don't start anything which you don't intend to finish." He bit his lip when he felt his cock react to Tiger's torture. He buried his hand in Tiger's hair, fondling his neck softly. Tiger cuddled even closer to Draco, bringing shivers to the blond. "Tiger? Still awake?" No answer. "Tiger?" He didn't need to look down, to know the other boy was asleep. He felt Tiger's even breath through the thin cotton of his pants. Once again, he wished the inventor of those trousers to hell. He sighed in frustration. He knew he wouldn't get much sleep this night, not with this gorgeous boy in his lap and a hard on in his pants.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	11. The Funeral

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 11 - The Funeral**

/-

/-

/-

The morning of Harry Potter's funeral found the three occupants of Malfoy Castle quietly sitting together in the dining room eating breakfast and reading the Daily Prophet. (Lucius had been sitting at the table when Draco and Tiger entered the room.) There was no sound except from the rustling of the newspaper and the clicking of teacups to saucers, until Draco let out an annoyed snort.

"I can't believe them. Even after your death they didn't stop to make some stupid stories up about you."

"What did they write?" Tiger asked, interested.

"You know, just the usual crap; you being the one always getting into trouble, and being responsible for everything. Obviously it was your own fault that you died. They came to the conclusion that there was no attack, but that you committed suicide because you couldn't put up with the fact that Voldemort is back: considering there was nothing proving that there was an attack." To Draco's surprise, there was no outburst from Tiger because of what he had told him. Instead, the dark-haired boy was laughing. "What are you laughing about?" Draco asked, in disbelief.

"Let me guess. The article was written by Rita Skeeter?"

"Yes. But what-"

"I wouldn't expect anything less from her. Let's face it; what is interesting about me being attacked by Death Eaters? That has happened so often, that it doesn't lure too many readers. Okay, I died this time, but that would have happened eventually. But a successful suicide from the 'Boy Who Lived' because he couldn't stand the pressure, is worth ten attacks. I bet there is also a part about me being selfish for dying, and leaving everyone who needs me behind."

"In fact it says that you were egotistical and egocentric for leaving your beloved girlfriend, Hermione Granger, who actually had dumped star seeker Victor Krum so she could be with you. 'We don't know what your reasons for showing off like that were, Harry Potter, but we hope that maybe one day, you can find your peace with the knowledge of being such a disappointment.'" Draco quoted the last sentence of the article.

"Ouch, that hurts," Tiger said in mock earnestness.

"You do realise what the people will think about you now, don't you?"

"They'll think that I'm an irresponsible coward who took the easiest way out of this mess, after realising what everyone would expect from 'the saviour of the wizarding world'."

"I don't understand how you can stay so calm about that. Doesn't it make you angry? Aren't you upset that everybody is going to think of you as a coward? Wha-"

"Quite the contrary," Tiger replied, interrupting the blond with his simple statement.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, bewildered.

"That is the best thing that could have happened."

"I don't get it."

"Look, now that everyone thinks I'm a coward and a disappointment to the wizarding world, they will forget about their hopes of me destroying Voldemort. They will find someone else who they can praise, someone who deserves all their attention."

"But you did deserve it."

"Maybe. But the point is that now that Harry Potter is dead, and that they don't have a hero anymore, they will carry on and they will learn to defend themselves."

"I think I see your point, now. You mean when someone as fragile as you were can fight against Voldemort, then they'll realise that they can do it as well."

"Something like that, yeah."

"Weird." Draco just shook his head, and then turned back to his breakfast.

There was another silence in which Tiger read an article about the upcoming funeral. After he had finished the article, he turned to Lucius and asked, "Why will there be so many Aurors today? Do they expect an attack?"

Lucius, who had been quiet until now, nodded to Tiger before he spoke. "Yes, Voldemort had made plans to 'visit' the funeral."

"Personally?"

"No, he is still too weak for that. There will be some Death Eaters and Dementors."

"But why would he do something like that?" Tiger asked, confused.

"You mean beside the fact that he's a lunatic?" Draco asked absentmindedly. He poked his head up from under the table, where he had given Spike some milk.

"I mean, he knows I'm already dead, and therefore no one can stop him now, so why would he disturb a funeral? What is he playing at?"

"He wants to make sure you can't rise from the dead."

"You mean, just like he did? Entering someone else's body, letting them brew a potion and forcing blood from my enemy? Does he really think I'm like him?" Tiger made a grimace at that thought.

"He thought highly of you."

"Is he disappointed that he hadn't killed me himself? Or does he fear me so much that he wants proof that it's really Harry Potter who will be buried today?"

"You're correct on both points. Of course he wanted to kill you himself, but now that he is weak, he couldn't risk a fight. But he knew that you would be alone at the Dursleys and that you were weak yourself, so he sent some of his followers to end it for good."

Tiger looked at Lucius nervously, trying to ask something, but before he had the courage to speak, Lucius answered his unspoken question.

"I led the attack. I was the one who killed you."

"Oh," was all Tiger could say. They were silent for a while: Lucius gave Tiger time to take in the information.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your interesting conversation," Draco said after a few minutes of silence, "but we should get ready. The Portkey to the graveyard will be activated in half an hour."

Lucius nodded. "Right. We can talk about it when we get back. Go get changed. I'll wait for Narcissa and Severus to arrive."

"They'll come?" Tiger asked, confused and a bit disappointed.

"Of course they will. Narcissa is my wife, after all. She has to be at my side at such an event. And Severus was one of your teachers." At Tiger's dumbfounded look, Lucius added, "They will all be there."

"I hadn't thought about that," Tiger answered softly. "All of them."

"Wait 'til you see who else will be there." Draco smiled at him, and led him up the stairs to his room.

--------

Twenty minutes later, Tiger walked down the stairs and joined the Malfoys and Professor Snape in the Apparation Room. Upon entering the room, Tiger found the four occupants clad in traditional funeral clothes. Their robes were all black, and held their family heraldry and one single red ribbon on their right breast. All four of them were staring at him.

"What do you think you are wearing?" Snape asked, annoyed.

"Let's see." Tiger looked down at himself and smiled. "First there are my boots: Dragon hide of a Tasmanian Hellhorn. Then my trousers: the finest-"

"I don't want a fashion show," Snape interrupted him angrily. "Why aren't you wearing the traditional robes?"

"Because I don't want to," Tiger smirked at him, and then turned to the other occupants. Lucius was smiling at him slightly, and Draco was looking at him as if he was about to pounce.

"Do you have to wear such tight clothes to a funeral?" Narcissa asked, with a look that made Tiger uncomfortable. Then she walked over to Draco, and successfully distracted Draco's attention from Tiger.

"It's time," Lucius said, and held out an old book. "Hold on to the key." Everyone did, and after a few seconds the Apparation Room of Malfoy Castle was deserted.

---------

When they arrived at the entrance of the graveyard, they were immediately surrounded by five Aurors.

"Portkey, names, and wands, please." One of them said without looking up. She was standing behind a table with boxes holding other wands, and was writing in a big leather book.

"Nice to see you, too, Tonks," Draco said with a smile. The black-haired woman looked up, and her face lit up.

"If it isn't my little baby cousin, Draky-poo." Tonks came around the table and pulled a terribly embarrassed Draco into an embrace. "Sorry that I couldn't come to your party, but with poor Harry's death and all-"

"It's okay, Tonks. Just let me breathe, already."

"Oops. Sorry." Tonks let go of Draco and went on to Narcissa, while Draco took a few deep breaths before following his father and godfather to the other Aurors, who checked their names and confiscated their wands, before letting them enter the graveyard.

Meanwhile, Tiger was standing a few feet away from the commotion and was watching through the entrance to the graveyard. His eyes were wide when he saw hundreds of people all over the field.

"You're next, young man."

Tiger was brought back by a hand on his back. When he looked up, he found Tonks smiling at him. "Come on, you have to register." They walked over to the table, and an annoyed looking Auror looked him up and down.

"Name?"

"Tiger Ryan." The Auror searched the book for his name, but couldn't find it.

"You aren't on the list. How did you get here?"

"We brought him." Lucius walked up to them and placed a hand on Tiger's shoulder.

"He isn't on our list, Malfoy. I'm sorry, but he can't enter," the Auror said, but didn't sound sorry at all.

"It's okay, Kingsley, let him enter. He's a new pupil." Severus handed the Auror, who Tiger now recognized as Kingsley Shacklebolt, a folded parchment. The Auror read it, and then nodded.

"Okay. Just give me your wand. The next group will arrive in two minutes." He held out his hand to Tiger, but the teen didn't react. "I'm waiting."

"I haven't got my wand with me," Tiger said, while his hand wandered to the side of his right thigh.

"What wizard hasn't got his wand with him?"

"An underage wizard who isn't allowed to do magic out of school," Tiger answered calmly.

"That isn't a reason to not bring your wand. Every Hogwarts student has their wand with them. Try again." The other Aurors were now standing around Tiger and Lucius, and were watching them carefully.

"Why would I bring my wand to a funeral?" Tiger asked innocently, his naïve eyes searching for an answer. When he saw the Aurors becoming weak he smirked and added. "By the way, where do you think my wand could fit?" He held up his arms and moved in a circle, so that everybody could see that there was no wand hidden under his clothes.

"I don't-" Shacklebolt started, but was cut of by another Auror.

"It's okay, boy. Mr. Malfoy. You can enter now."

"Thanks, Jones." Lucius nodded to the Auror, then led Tiger to the others.

When they entered the graveyard, Tiger froze when he saw exactly how many people were there. Hundreds of chairs were lined up facing a small stage, with more chairs and a podium. All the chairs were already taken, but there were still a lot of people around. On the stage, Tiger saw a few familiar faces. Ron and Hermione were talking to Remus, and Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall were there as well. Minister Fudge and other Ministry officials had also come.

"Tiger, are you all right?" Draco asked, concerned.

"I hadn't expected this. I hadn't known I… he was so popular. Who are all these people?" Nobody had noticed his almost slip, and he had recovered by now and walked on.

"Most of the kids are Gryffindors, and then there are a lot of Ministry officials, Hogwarts teachers, and of course, reporters. The rest are admirers."

"But there are also a lot Aurors here."

"Ah, Lucius, Narcissa, Severus, boys; you're right on time. We will begin in a few minutes," Dumbledore greeted them, when they arrived at the front of the chairs.

"Albus," Lucius replied, nodding. "I see the Ministry has outdone themselves."

He looked to Fudge, who was standing beside Dumbledore. "Minister," he said, acknowledging the man.

"It is a pleasure to see you and your family here, Mr. Malfoy. Who is this?" He pointed at Tiger. "Is he a Muggle?"

"Of course not," Tiger snorted arrogantly.

"Cornelius, this is Tiger Ryan. He will attend Hogwarts this year. After the death of his uncle, I took him in and took care of him."

"Why isn't he wearing robes? This is a wizarding funeral, therefore funeral robes are requested. It is a sign of your latest loss, boy." Fudge was now staring at Tiger urgently, but the teen just shrugged it of.

"I'm sorry to say it, but Harry Potter isn't a loss to me." Everybody around him gasped in shock. Before he could say anything further, Tiger heard a loud sob and a muttered 'bastard' coming from his right, and he saw a head of bushy brown hair running away, followed by a red-head.

"Fuck," Tiger exclaimed, and ran after Ron and Hermione.

"Tiger." Draco wanted to follow him, but his mother held him back.

"Stay, Draco. It's for the best when he isn't around."

"But-"

"She is right, boy," Fudge said angrily. "This boy hasn't got the slightest bit of respect for the dead. I only hope your father can teach him a few manners before he leaves for Hogwarts. He-"

"Stop it," Draco shouted all of a sudden. "You have no right to talk about him that way."

"Draco, please be quiet."

"No mother. You be quiet," Draco replied, angrily.

"Lucius," Narcissa looked to her husband, waiting for him to scold the boy.

"Let him speak," was all the elder Malfoy said.

"You have no idea what that boy has gone through," Draco said, while taking a step up to Fudge, who automatically took a step back. "He can't remember his parents, because his mother died while giving birth to him. His father died in a storm while he was sailing. And now, only a few weeks ago, he lost his uncle, the last of his family. He is still mourning about his death, and you expect him to mourn over someone he's never met, that he hadn't even heard of 'til he came here?"

By now Fudge was leaning against the front of the stage, with Draco only a few feet away. Because of the lack of response, Draco turned and walked after Tiger, but not before stopping at his mother's side.

"I don't know why you're doing this, but I don't like how you treat him," he told her. Without waiting for a response, Draco walked away.

-------

"Hermione." Tiger had found Ron and Hermione sitting on a bench under an old oak; Hermione had her head buried in Ron's chest.

"Go away," came the muffled reply.

"I thought we could become friends, but obviously you're just as bad as Malfoy. I can't believe he is here. I still can't believe that his father has avoided going to Azkaban." Ron ranted, glaring at him angrily.

"Hey! First, don't you dare speak about Draco that way, and don't insult Lucius either." 'Note to myself: ask Draco how Lucius did it.' Tiger fumed, but his anger died down when he saw the sadness behind Ron's angry face. "And second," he said calmly, "I'm sorry for what I said."

He knelt down in front of Hermione and put a hand on her knee. When she turned around and looked at him, he spoke again. "I'm really sorry about your loss, but what I said is the truth." Hermione's eyes widened, and she wanted to turn away, but Tiger continued. "I can't mourn someone I've never met. I sympathize with you, because I know how much it hurts to lose someone dear, but I don't feel the same. I'm still mourning my uncle, and god knows how hard it is for me to see all those people and to know they have lost someone special. But when Draco told me that his family would be here today, I couldn't not come."

"The day we met, I saw how sad you were, and I thought maybe you needed someone who wasn't personally involved, to speak to. I don't want to impose myself on you, but it might help. I know Draco helped me, when I first came here. I know I shouldn't say that, he will probably kill me when he finds out, but he isn't actually as bad as he seems." Tiger's eyes lightened up when he saw Hermione smile, so he went on. "You can talk to him about everything, and if you don't want to talk he'll just hold you until you're feeling better."

All of a sudden Hermione's smiles vanished, and she and Ron looked at something behind Tiger. Tiger felt someone glaring at him. "He is a great friend, and he would never hurt a friend; especially not a black-haired, green-blue-eyed friend, because they are the most sensitive and he wouldn't want to make them sad. Right?" Slowly Tiger turned around, and looked up into two cold, silver-blue eyes.

"Ryan." Draco held out a hand to Tiger. Tiger winced at the use of his surname. He took the offered hand, and Draco pulled him up.

"Dragon?" Tiger put on his best 'naïve little boy' face, and smiled innocently.

Ron and Hermione watched, fascinated, as Draco's cold mask melted, and a small smile reached his face. When he noticed them, he took a step back and nodded politely.

"Weasley, Granger."

"Hello." Hermione smiled slightly and Ron nodded back.

"Malfoy."

"Dumbledore said they want to start in a few minutes."

"We should go back. We are going say a few words about Harry." Hermione took Ron's hand. "Let's go, Ron. Are you coming?" She looked at Tiger and Draco.

"Later."

"Okay, see you."

When the two had left, Draco shoved Tiger onto the bench, leaned over him, one hand on each side of Tiger, and glared at the other boy.

"What are you trying to do, Tiger Ryan?" he hissed angrily. "Why did you have to tell them all that stuff about me? I told you before, I don't want to be their friend, so stop promoting. I swear if I had my wand I would have hexed you into oblivion for this."

Tiger's eyes filled with tears at his harsh words. He lowered his head and bit the corner of his lower lip hard to prevent himself from crying.

"Don't even try to soften me, Tiger. And stop playing 'little innocent boy'. I know you. You'll wait until I apologize, and then all of a sudden you're smiling your gorgeous smile and your sexy eyes are shining with triumph; but not now. Not-" Draco froze when he saw Tiger looking at him. The black-haired boy's head had snapped up at Draco's last comment, and he was now looking at him with a look not even he could play. His eyes were glassy, and one single tear ran down his cheek, to be mixed with the blood that flowed from his lip where he had bitten it.

"I just wanted…" Tiger broke up when a second and third tear escaped his eyes.

"Shh." Draco collapsed onto Tiger's lap, and pulled him close to his chest. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said all of that. Please don't cry, Tiger." The blond stroked Tiger's head soothingly, and rocked slightly back and forth.

"Draco?" Startled, Draco jumped up and turned to face the intruder, while Tiger tried to wipe away his tears.

"Sev, Professor Lupin," Draco exclaimed, surprised.

"Is everything okay?" Remus asked suspiciously. Severus just glared at Tiger and his godson.

"I-" Draco started but Tiger cut him of.

"I just remembered my uncle's funeral, and everything came back."

"I'm sorry," Remus said politely.

"Thanks."

"Why are you here, anyway?" Draco asked his godfather.

"Your father wants you by his side."

"Tell him I'm staying with Tiger."

"It's okay, Draco; you can go. I want to be alone for a while."

"Are you sure?"

"I will be around if something should happen," Remus promised.

"Okay. Thanks, Professor." After one last glance at Tiger, Draco and Sev went back to the others.

Remus waited until the other two were gone before he sat down beside Tiger.

"Are you okay?" he asked, handing Tiger a handkerchief.

"Better. Thanks." Tiger first wiped away his tears, then carefully pressed the handkerchief against his sore lip.

"What happened to your lip?" Remus asked after a while.

"Bad habit. When I'm nervous, I bite into the corner of my lip."

"You must have been really nervous," Remus commented, smiling.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Tiger answered politely.

"Sorry. I don't want to push you into talking."

"It's okay; I just don't want to talk about my outburst. I hate it when I'm weak."

"You didn't seem weak when you were talking to Fudge." The older man grinned cheerfully.

"You heard that?"

"Not only me; there were a lot of people who were really pissed."

"Were you?" the boy asked, confused.

"Yes, until Draco spoke." Remus' smile widened.

"What did he say?" Tiger asked carefully.

"He explained that you couldn't mourn about Harry because you have lost your uncle recently, and are still mourning him."

"That's true. I miss him dearly."

"You remind me of Harry, you know?"

"What?" Tiger paled at this statement. 'He knows, I knew he'd know'

"Yeah, but you're a lot more straightforward. I don't know what it is, but there is something."

"Maybe it's the fact that we're both orphans; or that we've lost our family a second time." At Remus' puzzled look, Tiger explained. "Draco told me about Harry's godfather."

"Sirius." Remus looked sad, and lowered his head. It hurt Tiger to remind him of his late friend, but he was too close to discovering Tiger's secret.

"You knew him?"

"He was my best friend. Sirius, Harry's father, James, and another guy, Peter, were my best friends at Hogwarts. We spent every day together, and had a lot of fun."

Tiger smiled when he saw how Remus' face lit up at the memories of his friends. He was silent, hoping for a story about the Marauders. He didn't have to wait long, though.

"We were pranksters, you know. We called ourselves the 'Marauders'. We played a lot of pranks on teachers and other pupils, mostly Slytherins, but our favourite victim was Severus."

"Snape?" Tiger asked, in feigned disbelief.

"Yes. We were in the same year, and he was always a git. We couldn't not prank him." Remus explained, almost apologetically.

"I know what you mean." Tiger smiled. "He is a git, but he is also a great potions master."

"You've already had the pleasure of getting to know his skill?"

"One conversation at dinner, and you'd think he lives for his job."

"Not for the part with the students, but for his potions, yes."

"And I thought it's just me whom he hates."

"What have you done?"

"Nothing, I swear," Tiger looked at Remus innocently. Then he began to smile as if he had just remembered something. "There was this one time when I snogged his godson and kissed him afterwards."

"You kissed him? Eew." Remus shuddered at the thought. "Okay, now I know why he hates you. Did he hex you?"

"He tried, but only hit the wall." They both laughed until a cough interrupted them.

"Albus." Remus' smile faded when he saw Dumbledore's look. "It's time?"

"The coffin is already at the grave."

"Okay." Remus nodded, and then turned to Tiger. "Do you want to come?"

"No, I'll stay here."

"Well, see you."

"Yeah."

Remus left, followed by Dumbledore, who smiled reassuringly at Tiger, saying, "He'll be fine."

Tiger just nodded, then closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands.

He didn't know how long he was in this position when he heard footsteps approach. He looked up, and found Ron and Hermione standing in front of him. The latter had a book pressed against her chest.

"Hi." He smiled slightly.

"Hi," they answered, and sat beside him. They were quiet for a while, until Tiger broke the silence.

"What are you reading?" he asked Hermione.

"Oh, it's not my book; I'm just keeping it for someone."

"Whom?"

"Harry." At Tiger's puzzled look, she continued. "It was his birthday yesterday, and Ron and I wanted to give it to him."

"What's it about?"

"We found it at his godfather's old place, when we went there two weeks ago. Sirius, his godfather, had written a journal over the past year, with stories about the Marauders." Tiger's mouth fell opened in shock. Hermione misinterpreted his reaction, so she explained. "The Marauders was the name of Sirius and his friends. Harry's father was a Marauder, as well as Remus - you know, Professor Lupin."

"Have you read it?" Tiger asked softly, his eyes never leaving the book. Oh, how much he wanted to take it from her and read it.

"Just the first page. Sirius had explained what this journal was about. It seems that he wanted to give it to Harry for his birthday, so we thought we should give it to him, but then…" Hermione trailed off, and tears ran down her cheek. Tiger ignored her, and spoke again.

"What will you do with it now?"

"We want to give it to Harry."

"What?" Tiger asked confused. Did they know?

"We want to bury it with him."

"Don't do that," he exclaimed louder than he wanted. He had jumped up and was now facing the two. Ron and Hermione looked up at him, puzzled. 'Think Tiger; think quickly.'

"Why shouldn't we?" Ron asked, perplexed.

"Because of… Remus," Tiger nearly shouted.

"Remus?" The two looked even more puzzled.

"I mean, Professor Lupin. You said he was a friend of Harry's godfather - and he told me a bit about being a Marauder."

"He told you?"

"Yes, we talked about pranking Snape."

"Good topic." Ron smiled.

"That's really good," Hermione exclaimed, all of a sudden.

"Of course pranking Snape is good." Ron looked at Hermione as if she were an alien, for only just seeing it.

"Not that, idiot." She slapped his arm, hard.

"Hey."

"Oh. Sorry, love." Hermione patted Ron's arm, then smiled at Tiger. "I mean that was a good idea, Tiger. Remus will love it. He misses the two so much. The journal will cheer him up, I'm sure."

"Let's go, Ron." She grabbed Ron's hand and pulled him away.

Smiling, Tiger sat back down on the bench. "And hopefully I'll get the chance to read it, one day." He smiled and closed his eyes, letting the summer sun shine down on his face.

-------

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty."

Tiger shuddered in delight at the whispered words against his ear. He opened his eyes and turned around.

"Draco." He smiled at the blonde.

"I heard you are saving memories?"

"Who told you?"

"Dumbledore."

"How did he know? ... Oh - right. It's Dumbledore."

"Don't you want to say goodbye to Potter?"

"I had my farewell the day I was born."

"You do realise how bizarre that sounds?" They smiled at each other.

"Tiger?" Tiger turned to the voice.

"Re- Eh, Professor Lupin." He bit his lips when he saw Sirius' journal in Remus' hand.

"I wanted to thank you for the journal."

"It wasn't mine."

"But it was your idea to give it to me." He cuddled the book like a child would do to its teddy. Tiger and Draco smiled at each other, then the blond whispered in the other's ear.

"I'm waiting at the entrance. We want to leave soon." Tiger just nodded, and Draco left.

"I'm really grateful, you know." Remus looked up at him and smiled sadly. "I miss them so much. First Lily and James, and Peter." He spat out the last name with disgust. "Then I lost Sirius to Azkaban, and just when he was back and we had it out with each other, I lost him for good. And now that Harry is gone too, I haven't got anyone left. But with this journal I have a part of Sirius and James back; memories which I lost fifteen years ago."

"I can't imagine how hard it must be for you, but if you want to talk to someone who won't give you muddled advice…"

"So you've met Albus." They smiled at each other.

"I'll be there." Tiger laid a hand on Remus shoulder.

"Thanks."

"I have to go. Do you know where Ron and Hermione are? I want to say goodbye to them."

"They wanted to walk for a while. Let's go look for them. I want to thank them again." They walked for a while, until they found the two laying on the grass in front of the little forest which bordered on the graveyard.

Suddenly Tiger felt all warmth being sucked out of him, and he heard someone crying. He looked around, but couldn't see anything unusual. Then he recognized the voice and froze. 'Mum'. He held his head in his hands, and sank to his knees.

"Tiger, are you all right?" Remus knelt beside him, and laid a hand on his back. "What happened?" It took Tiger a while to look up, but he didn't look at Remus, who was few inches away from him. Instead, he looked to Ron and Hermione, and his breathing stopped.

"Dementors," he choked out, and jumped to his feet.

"What?" Remus jumped up too, and watched in horror as four Dementors approached Ron and Hermione.

With lightning speed, Tiger had his wand in his hand and pointed it at the Dementors. (The moment he held his wand, a small wand-pocket appeared on his right, outer thigh)

"Expecto Patronu-"

"Tiger!" The cry cut Tiger off, but there had been already a white fog emerging from his wand. Remus looked at him, shocked. Tiger turned around to see Lucius storming up to him. The next moment there were Aurors all around, fighting the Dementors. Some of them surrounded Tiger, and one cast a spell on him.

"_Vincira manus._" Yellow light flew from their wand and encircled Tiger's hands, binding them behind his back. He lost his wand and would have fallen, had it not been for Lucius, who caught him.

"Oh, you are in so much trouble, mister," Lucius hissed in his ear. Tiger shuddered in fear.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	12. Veritaserum

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 12 – Veritaserum**

/-

/-

/-

"I knew he was a troublemaker. With his lack of respect and his rebellious behaviour, this boy must be involved with You Know Who." A furious Cornelius Fudge paced back and forth in front of the group of five Aurors, all the Weasleys and Hermione, Professors Dumbledore, Lupin, Snape, the Malfoys, and Tiger - who was still bound, and was strongly watched by the Aurors. They were the only ones left at the graveyard. After the attack of the Dementors and several Death Eaters - which was successfully beat back, and every Death Eater had been arrested - the graveyard had been evacuated except for that group. Fudge was beside himself, because he had insisted that Tiger should be arrested as well, but Dumbledore wouldn't let the Aurors take him away.

"I am the Minister of Magic, and you all saw how he spoke to me, and what he said about Harry Potter. He is a Death Eater and I will personally see to it that he will be punished. He…"

Tiger stopped listening to Fudge's tirade about him being a threat and taking him to Azkaban, and what not. He wasn't afraid of Fudge, though he knew he couldn't do anything against him; not with what Tiger just did. And with Dumbledore there he wasn't in any danger of being taking away. But what he was afraid of was the looks of Lucius, Dumbledore and Remus.

Since Lucius had saved him from falling he hadn't spoken a word. He had let Dumbledore speak to Fudge, and 'convince' him that it wasn't necessary to take Tiger to the Ministry. Instead, he had glared at Tiger in a way that made the black-haired teen wish the occupant of the newest grave wasn't a transfigured frog, but the real Harry Potter.

After speaking with the Aurors, Dumbledore had joined Lucius in watching Tiger, but his look made the boy even more uncomfortable. Tiger could clearly see the disappointment in the headmaster's eyes, and it pained him that it was his fault that the older man's eyes had lost their famous twinkle.

But what caused Tiger to really wish for a hole to open up in the ground, where he could jump in and disappear, was Remus' look of disbelief, pain, and…hope? He had fallen to his knees after he had realized what was about to emerge from Tiger's wand, and had clutched Sirius' journal even tighter to his chest. He was mumbling to himself while studying Tiger's every move. The teen refused to look at the man, for fear of his own breakdown.

Instead, he looked around, searching for any support. His eyes fell upon Ron and Hermione, who were surrounded by the other Weasleys, who tried to calm them down. Hermione had fainted when she had realised what would have happened if the Aurors hadn't stop the Dementors in time. She still was a little pale, and Ron wasn't any better. He was visibly shaking, but he tried not to show it, to give his girlfriend the comfort she needed right now. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were speaking reassuringly to the two teens, while the other Weasleys were trying to figure out what really had happened.

When Tiger's gaze wandered on, he found Professor Snape talking to an Auror Tiger didn't know, who was staring at him angrily.

He now searched for Draco, and found the blond in a heated discussion with his mother, but he couldn't understand what they were saying. It seemed as though Draco tried to come over to him, but his mother held him back with a firm grip at his wrist. They glared at each other, neither one giving in. Tiger never found out who looked away first, because his attention was caught by the Auror who had spoken to Snape, and who was now talking to Fudge.

"…and with the Veritaserum we could prove right here if he is a Death Eater or not, and what his intentions were."

"Veritaserum?" Tiger asked a little nervously, glancing from the Auror to Lucius and Dumbledore.

"Is that really necessary?" Lucius spoke for the first time since Tiger's capture.

"Of course it is, Malfoy," Fudge snapped, angry about the outburst. But he flinched when he saw Lucius' look, and added quietly. "I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy, but yes, it is necessary. I don't blame you for this boy's behaviour since he hasn't lived with you until recently, but it is my duty to do everything to stop criminals, especially Death Eaters."

"I'm not a Death Eater," Tiger exclaimed angrily. "Why can't you see that I just wanted to help Ron and Hermione? I would never hurt anybody."

"Then it wouldn't be a problem for you to prove your word while under the influence of Veritaserum." Fudge smirked provokingly, grabbing a small bottle of the truth serum from one of the Aurors, and stepping up in front of Tiger.

"You can't force him to take it," Draco shouted from where his mother still held him back. "Don't do it, Tiger! You don't have to do it!"

Tiger looked at Draco for a while, then he smiled at the blond before adopting a serious expression, and turned to the Aurors, ignoring Fudge on purpose.

"Take the spell off me and I will take the potion willingly. I have done nothing to deserve such treatment, and I will prove my innocence right here, right now." Tiger stared at the Auror who had cast the binding spell on him. It wasn't long before he was freed. He grabbed the potion from Fudge's hand, ignoring the Minister's protest, and turned back to Snape.

"Professor Snape, as everybody knows, you are Hogwarts Potions Professor, and one of the best Potion Masters alive-" 'I can't believe I'm actually praising the greasy git,' Tiger thought when he paused for a moment, waiting for Snape to nod in confirmation, "so you can confirm that Veritaserum is a Truth Potion so powerful that three drops would have everybody spilling their innermost secrets for everybody to hear?"

"That's right," Snape nodded again, not in the least surprised that Tiger knew about this potion.

"Good. Thank you, Professor." With that, Tiger downed the whole contents of the small bottle, which was supposed to be for at least four portions.

Everybody gasped when Tiger closed his eyes, and sank to his hands and knees.

"Tiger!" Draco broke away from his mother and ran to Tiger, who tried to stand back up. He put an arm around the other boy's waist and helped him up. "Are you all right?" He asked when he stepped back to look into Tiger's unfocused eyes.

"Just a bit dizzy, but I think this is the normal effect of the potion."

"Why did you do that?" Draco asked in a whisper, but Tiger's answer was loud enough for everybody to hear.

"I wanted to prove that I'm not a Death Eater and that I have no intention to harm Ron and Hermione." A murmur went around the small group, and Tiger looked at the Auror who had cast the binding spell on him, and nodded. "I'm awaiting your questions, Mister…"

"Mourin," the man supplied.

"Mr. Mourin. You've seen me drink the potion, so you know I'll answer truthfully."

"Very well." Mr. Mourin looked at Tiger, who was now standing alone in front of him. Draco had stepped back, and was now standing beside his father. "Please tell us your full name, birth date, and today's date."

Silence fell upon the group as they awaited Tiger's answer. Remus, who had got back up to his feet a while ago, looked expectantly at Tiger.

"Why doesn't he answer?" Fudge blurted out all of a sudden. "When he is really under the influence of the Veritaserum, then he must answer right away. So why don't you answer?" The last question was directly asked to Tiger, who looked at Fudge and smiled sheepishly.

"I haven't answered right away because I had to think about what date today is." He bit his lip slightly and turned back to Auror Mourin. "Since I haven't done anything special in the last few days which has required me to know the specific date, I haven't kept track of it. But I now know that since the birthday party four days have passed, so today must be August first."

Mourin nodded. "That's right." Out of the corner of his eye, Tiger saw Draco and Lucius breathe out in relief, and on his other side he saw a small smile creep upon Dumbledore's face, and his eyes were twinkling slightly.

"He hasn't answered the other questions." Fudge once again interrupted the 'hearing'.

"Minister Fudge, I'd appreciate if you wouldn't interrupt the questioning." Mourin looked at him, a bit annoyed.

Fudge wanted to retort, but when he caught the look being given him by Lucius Malfoy, he closed his mouth and listened to Mourin questioning Tiger.

"Please tell me your full name."

Tiger turned to Draco and smiled at the blond, who was biting nervously on his lip. "My name is Tiger Emerald Ryan," he said, without taking his eyes off Draco.

The Slytherin's eyes went wide when he realised what the other boy had said. He gave Tiger a questioning look, but the black-and-blue haired boy ignored him, and went on.

"A very nice name, by the way, which was given to me on the 28th of July." He turned back to the Auror. On his way, his gaze fell upon Remus, who looked a bit confused, but there was a knowing look in his eyes that made Tiger shiver.

"I presume that is your birthday, then?" Mourin asked.

"That's right."

"One last question before I ask about the incident. What is your original hair colour?"

"Black with blue tips." Tiger smiled, and moved one hand up to stroke his hair.

"That's nonsense," Fudge exploded, and stepped in front of Tiger. "You haven't taken the potion! You're lying! You must have tricked us, somehow."

"That's not true," Tiger replied calmly, turning to Mr. Mourin, searching for support. "I drank the whole bottle, and I haven't lied." A mischievous smirk came upon Tiger's face when he turned back to Fudge. "Black with blue tips is my original hair colour. If you don't belief my word while under the Veritaserum, I can show you that it is the truth." With that, Tiger opened the button of his trousers and grabbed his zipper. Fudge's eyes widened in horror, when Tiger pulled down the zipper.

"Stop," Mourin said firmly. "There is no need for this kind of proof, Mr. Ryan. Minister, for the last time, stop interfering with my questioning!"

Tiger smirked his 'Malfoy' smirk at Fudge, while he zipped and buttoned his trousers. With one last angry look, Fudge walked back into the circle that had formed around Tiger and Mr. Mourin.

"Mr. Ryan." Mourin got Tiger and everybody's attention back with his next question. "Why did you still have your wand after you entered the graveyard? Hadn't the Aurors told you to hand it over before you enter the graveyard?"

"They had, but I had told them that I didn't have my wand with me."

"Why did you say that? And why hadn't the Aurors asked about your wand pocket on your right thigh?"

"A wizard once told me that a wizard always has his wand with him." Tiger took a quick glance at Kingsley Shacklebolt, who was one of the other Aurors who watched over him. The Auror glared at him angrily, but Tiger ignored it and continued. "I never give my wand away, and as for the pocket, it is an invisible pocket. Until the wand is fully out of the pocket, it is invisible to everyone but the owner."

"I see. Can you tell me why you had pulled out your wand?"

"I saw the Dementors approaching Ron and Hermione, and I just did it. They weren't looking at the forest so they didn't notice anything unusual. I thought this was the only thing I could do to save them. It wasn't my intention to scare anybody, let alone harm anybody."

"So you aren't working for He Who Must Not Be Named?" another Auror asked shyly.

"No," Tiger said firmly. "I am not a Death Eater, nor do I serve Voldemort in any way." Everybody gasped when Tiger had said the Dark Lord's name.

"Why did you say You Know Who's name?" Shacklebolt asked, confused.

"Because it's his name. Why _don't_ you call him by his name?"

"Because…" Nobody had an appropriate answer for this question.

"You know, a wise man once told me that the fear of a name increases the fear of the thing itself." Tiger looked at Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling like mad.

"I think it has been proven that Tiger is not a Death Eater, and that he hasn't attacked anyone in any way," Dumbledore said, when nobody replied to Tiger's last comment.

"I still have a few questions," Fudge once again spoke up. Tiger growled silently but then he turned to the Minister and smiled sweetly.

"Please go on, Minister. I have nothing to hide."

"While you don't have any intention in hurting people, and you are no ally to the Dark Lord, then why are you happy about Potter's death."

"I never said I was happy about his death."

"But you don't care if he's dead or alive."

"That isn't true."

"But you said his death isn't a loss to you."

"That's right." A gasped came from the Weasleys (not all of them had heard Tiger's first statement about Harry's death). "It's right that I said that his death isn't a loss to me, and like I've explained to Ron and Hermione, it's because I have my own loss to mourn. I lost my uncle; my only family. I can't mourn about someone I never met. I'm sorry for all of you that you have to go through all of this, but I think it was for the best."

"How could you say that?" Ginny cried out in disbelief.

Tiger gave her a sad smile, and continued.

"For you, Harry's death might be a big loss. But for all I know about Harry Potter, his life was nothing but hell. He grew up with people who hated him. He lived a lie for ten years. Then he found out that he was a wizard, and 'The Boy Who Lived'.

From day one in the wizarding world, he had to live up to your expectations; and whatever he did, it was never good enough. I don't doubt that he had a lot of good days in his life, but the few really bad days would have broken anyone. He had lost so much - so many people - and all because they knew him. If that was my life, I don't know if I would have survived this long." Everybody was silent, so Tiger went on. "I know what I've done today was wrong. I lied to the Aurors, and I have knowingly put a lot of people in danger by keeping my wand. But my uncle told me from the first day on, that I should never ever go out without my wand, and always keep an eye on it. It was the first and most important promise I ever made to my uncle, and it was the last words I ever spoke to him." Small tears rolled down his cheek, and he dropped his head.

"That's enough," Molly Weasley demanded, stepping up to Tiger and pulling him into her arms. The teen bit his lips to prevent himself from smirking intriguingly when Molly glared at Fudge. He knew this was the point where he had won everybody's trust.

"Yes, that's indeed enough," Mourin said. "We've all heard what he said. He had no intention to attack anybody and his use of magic was to protect people. Mr. Ryan, you're free to go." With the last sentence, Mourin turned to Tiger and held his wand out to him. With a polite smile he took it, and put it back in its pocket, where it vanished from view.

"I'm glad that the truth came out and that nobody was hurt. I'm sorry for the turmoil I've caused," Now he turned to Ron and Hermione, and smile slightly, "but I'm not sorry for alarming the Aurors, and therefore preventing the attack."

The two teens smiled back, and before Tiger knew what happened, he was again wrapped in a tight embrace, his face buried in the crook of the person's neck.

"Thank you," he heard Mrs Weasley sob into his hair. "Thank you for saving my babies."

Tiger closed his eyes and bit his lip hard, willing himself not to show how much he'd miss this sort of embrace. After his little act he was glad for this second embrace, which he felt a lot more comfortable with than the first. He stayed a few more minutes in the embrace, and then he gently pulled away and smiled down at Mrs. Weasley. With one thumb he carefully wiped away the tears which were running down her cheeks.

"Please don't cry. Everything is okay, and nobody got hurt. There is no need to cry. Nobody will hurt your family anymore." He put a stray lock of her hair behind her ears. He bent down and gave her a kiss on the head, then he smiled again. "You know, I'm still under the influence of the Veritaserum, so I can't lie to you." Mrs. Weasley took a deep calming breath, and smiled at Tiger.

"Hermione was right. You're wonderful with this calming thing."

"Did she say that?" Tiger asked, while his cheeks coloured slightly.

"The way you talked to her soothed her better than any comforting embrace could."

Tiger looked over to Hermione, who had calmed down and was now walking over to them.

"That's true." She smiled at Tiger when she stopped beside him. "I don't know if I'd have gotten through all this without our conversations. Thank you for everything." She gave him a quick hug, then she went to the side so the other Weasleys could approach him. One by one the Weasleys thanked him for saving Ron and Hermione's life. Mr. Weasley and his elder sons shook his hand, while Fred and George pulled him into a tight group hug, which made Tiger slightly suspicious. After the two pulled away he looked down at himself, searching for any sign of a prank.

"Don't worry mate-"

"we wouldn't harm the one-"

"who saved our little Ronnykins." The twins smiled innocently at Tiger, and took an embarrassed and suspicious looking Ron in their arms.

"I've heard about you two, and I don't believe you one bit," Tiger stated calmly, and pulled out what seemed like a lemon drop from his pocket.

"Fred and George Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley roared, starring daggers at the twins. "How dare you try to prank him? And today, of all days!"

"But mum-"

"we haven't."

Tiger smirked at the disbelieving faces of the twins, unwrapped the candy, and put it in his mouth.

"Tiger, no!" Seven Weasleys and Hermione exclaimed at once. But Tiger just smiled, and continued to suck on his candy. Everybody held his or her breath in anticipation of what would happen to him, but it never came. The twins looked at each other, puzzled, and then stared back at Tiger.

"What?" Tiger asked, as if a bit confused. "Is their something wrong?" The twins shook their head no. "Do you two want a drop? I have a lot of them." Tiger pulled two more drops from his pocket, and gave them to the twins. They hesitated, but when they saw Tiger's bland look, they took the drops and slowly unwrapped them. "They are really good." Tiger smiled knowingly at the twins. With one last look at each other, Fred and George put the candy in their mouths, and waited for the inevitable.

Not ten seconds later, hiccups and small soap bubbles emerged from their mouths. They tried to stop them from escaping by putting a hand over their mouths but to no avail. Everybody fell silent, and stared at the twins. Tiger slowly approached them, and whispered in their ear.

"Don't believe everything you see." He smirked, and then held another drop up.

"But-" Fred began, but he had to hiccup again, so George continued.

"we just gave you three." Tiger's eyes twinkled mischievously when he unwrapped the candy and led his hand to his mouth, the same way he'd done when he first seemed to eat the candy. But just like the first time, he didn't really put the drop in his mouth. Instead, he wrapped it back in the paper, and sucked on thin air.

"You cheated," Fred exclaimed, hurt.

"And you wanted to prank me," Tiger replied calmly.

"How did you know?" George asked interestedly.

"I've heard a lot about you. And I know your merchandise. Draco's twin cousins seem to be your best customers."

"Twins?"

"How old?" The twins' eyes gleamed excitedly, their soap bubble hiccups forgotten.

"They will be new first years."

"New pranksters at Hogwarts." The twins smiled at each other.

"It's a shame that the Marauder's Map is lost," George said sadly.

"Yeah. But I know Harry used it well."

Tiger had to turn away to hide his knowing smirk. That's when he noticed everybody staring at them. They were all trying to stifle their laughter for Fred and George's newest prank. But when Tiger smiled at the Weasleys, they all burst out into fits of laughter. Even Mrs. Weasley couldn't stop herself. She approached Tiger, and embraced him quickly.

"Thank you. We needed a good laugh, dearly."

"And if it's at the expense of the twins, it's just twice as good." Charlie smiled, and put a hand on Tiger's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. They held eye contact for a while, and Tiger felt a comfortable warmth spread through his body.

"And if it is at the expense of a Weasley, it's the best you can get," an arrogant voice said, which broke the eye contact.

Tiger turned to the voice, and smiled. "Draco."

"Malfoy," Charlie spat at the same time. "How dare you insult my family?" He glared at Draco hatefully, who countered with his own death glare.

"Don't let it get to you, Charlie. He doesn't mean it."

"The hell I don't," Draco growled at Tiger, who was a bit taken back by his glare.

"Stop it, Draco," Tiger pleaded. "I know you aren't… umph."

Draco cut him off by putting one hand over his mouth, and the other in a firm grip on his arm. He took a step forward so that their noses nearly touched each other.

"I dare you," he hissed angrily. "One more word, and I will kick your arse back to your filthy muggle friends in America."

Tiger's eyes widened in shock at the hatred which lay in Draco's voice. He slowly closed his eyes, and took several deep breaths. When he opened them again, they glittering with suppressed tears. Draco's face immediately softened, and he loosened his grip on Tiger.

"Tiger, I'm sorry. Please don't." Tiger took a step back, turned around, and walked over to Lucius, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Can we go home, now? I think I need a bit of alone time after what happened today."

"Of course," Lucius said with a nod, then he went to Dumbledore to say goodbye.

"Tiger?" Tiger turned around, to come face to face with a nervous looking Remus, who still held Sirius' journal in a firm grip in front of his chest.

"Re… Professor Lupin." Tiger kicked himself mentally for this slip, and looked unsurely at the older man.

"Can we talk for a moment?"

"Okay." The two walked a few meters away from everybody else before Remus turned around, and faced Tiger with a hopeful smile.

"You didn't drink it, right?" he asked all of a sudden.

"What?" Tiger looked a little lost. "What do you mean?"

"The serum. You didn't drink it. You spilled it on the ground, and just licked up the last drop to have the unfocused affect in your eyes."

"How?" Tiger felt his knees getting weak, and he sat down on the bench at his side.

"I could smell the serum on the ground, after you stepped up to the Auror," Remus said proudly.

"You-"

"You will hear it anyway, so I can tell you the truth right away. I'm a werewolf, and therefore I have a very good sense of smell."

"Oh. I hadn't thought about that." Tiger said, more to himself. But when he heard Remus gasp, he noticed his mistake and looked up slowly. The older man was looking at him open-mouthed, and trying to say something. Tiger wanted to interrupt him, to bring him out of his thoughts, but he couldn't say anything.

"So then it's true. You are Harry Potter."

Tiger's eyes widened, then he adopted a sad look, dropped his head, and shook it slightly.

"Harry Potter is dead," he said softly, before he looked up at Remus, who was torn apart between hope and fear. "He died even before I set a foot on this continent."

"But you're so much alike," Remus argued, in a pleading tone. "You act like him, you have the same patronus as him - I saw the antlers of your stag. You even smell like him. Please, if you really are Harry Potter, say it, because I don't think I could live with the idea of you not being him. It's as if Sirius, Harry and James were combined in you. Everything you say reminds me of James' cunning comments, every time you're playing with your charm, I see Sirius' smile in your eyes. And when you're comforting someone, you're just like Harry. That was one of his greatest gifts. His mother, Lily, had that gift, and besides his emerald eyes, that was Harry's biggest inheritance from his mother."

Tiger was biting his lower lip nervously, and his eyes were gleaming at what Remus told him. He was like James, Sirius, and Lily.

"Tiger, are you ready?"

Tiger's head snapped up, to see Draco standing in front of him.

"Er, sure. I'll be right there." Draco nodded and walked back to his parents, who were standing at the entrance to the graveyard.

Tiger stood up and turned to Remus. He laid a hand on the older man's shoulder, and squeezed it slightly. "I'm sorry, Remus." He gave him a sad smile, then ran to catch up with Draco.

Remus sat for a long while on the bench and watched after Tiger. Just when the black-haired teen vanished, he remembered something.

"You never answered my question."

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	13. The Punishment

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 13 - the punishment**

/-

/-

/-

Tiger hadn't even stepped fully through the ancestor room to Malfoy Castle, when Lucius roughly grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him to the living room, all the while hissing angrily at him.

"I can't believe you were so foolish and let your cover slip. Do you realise what could have happened if I hadn't stopped you before you conjured your Patronus? How would you have explained that your Patronus has the same shape as Potter's? Lupin would have had recognized it!"

Tiger tried hard not to stop listening, because he knew that everything Lucius was saying was right. But at the mention of Remus, his thoughts wandered of to their conversation and Remus' hopeful expression when he had asked if Tiger was Harry. He had looked so miserable that it had hurt Tiger just to look at him.

By now they had arrived at the living room, and when Tiger snapped out of his thoughts, he found himself face to face with an angry looking Albus Dumbledore.

"Eh… P-professor?" he stammered, slowly backing away, but not too far, because Lucius was still standing behind him. He had seen Dumbledore this angry only once before, the day he faced Voldemort at the Department of Mysteries.

"Sit!" Lucius said sharply. Within seconds, Tiger sat in an armchair as far away from the two adults as he could get. Dumbledore and Lucius sat down opposite him, and watched him for a few moments, before Dumbledore spoke.

"I don't know what caused you to act like you did today."

Tiger flinched at his tone. His voice was calm, almost sad and disappointed, and it hurt Tiger because he knew it was because of him.

"I won't deny that your fast reaction probably saved Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger's lives, but the price could have been fatal."

"There is no price too high for saving your best friends," Tiger muttered to himself, while he bowed his head to avoid the stares of the other two.

"But there were other ways to save them," Dumbledore answered softly, almost reassuringly. Tiger looked back up; he hadn't wanted anyone to hear him. When their eyes met, Dumbledore's facial expression calmed a bit, and his next words were spoken without any hint of anger or disappointment. "I have to be honest to you, Tiger. I'm really proud of you for what you did today."

Tiger's mouth fell open, and Lucius gave Dumbledore a confused look. Before he could say anything though, Dumbledore continued.

"Of course not for the irresponsible behaviour of drawing your wand, but for your conversation with Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, and especially Remus. I don't know how you did it, but he was full of life before I left the graveyard."

'He knows,' Tiger thought, half afraid and half relieved, though he didn't say anything.

"What impressed me was your interaction with Fudge and the Aurors. You really know how to talk."

"I would have called it foolish." Lucius spoke for the first time, his anger still evident. Tiger didn't meet his eyes, so he didn't see the smirk appearing on his face before he spoke again. "But now I would just call it Malfoyish." Tiger's head snapped up, and he saw an almost - proud? - looking Lucius. "You really know how to work with words."

"Thanks." Tiger smiled brightly.

"But don't think this will save you from your punishment." The elder Malfoy said sternly.

The smile died, and Tiger flinched slightly.

"But first we want to know how you fought the Truth Serum?"

Now it was Tiger's time to smirk. He leaned back in the chair and stated simply: "I didn't drink it."

"But we saw you drink it." Dumbledore spoke up.

"You gulped the whole contents of the bottle." Lucius added. The two adults looked at him in disbelief. How could he have not drunk it when everybody watched him?

"And you reacted just liked one does when they are under Veritaserum," Dumbledore continued, like an afterthought.

"You saw me drink it?" They both nodded. "And you saw me eat the candy the twins gave me?"

"Yes. Why didn't it work?"

"Because," Tiger began, pulling out the still-wrapped candy and unwrapping it to eat it, "it is still wrapped," he finished, after he'd obviously put it in his mouth. But when he showed the paper, the drop was still in it. "Don't believe everything you see." He smirked, and put the candy back in his pocket.

"That was really good. I couldn't see it," Dumbledore said.

"That is the idea."

"But how did you do it with the Potion?"

"I spilled it down my sleeve, so that no one saw it drip on the ground. And for the act of the unfocused eyes, I just licked up the last drop."

"But there was more then one drop left, wasn't there?" Dumbledore smiled at him with twinkling eyes.

"Yeah, I think it was the normal dose."

"Three drops?" Lucius asked, confused. "Then how could you have lied?"

"I didn't."

"But-"

"I told them what I believe is the truth." Tiger waited a moment for his words to sink in. When he saw Dumbledore smile and Lucius nod in understanding, he continued. "At first I didn't know if that would be enough to beat the potion. That's why I first tried to talk my way out of the questions, by letting them guess what I meant. Then when they asked me once again what my name was, I felt it inside of me to tell them that I am Tiger Emerald Ryan. It felt right to say it." He smiled at Draco, who had entered the room at the beginning of Tiger's explaining his trick with the candy, and was now sitting to his left with Spike in his lap. "I'm really Tiger Ryan." The two of them held eye contact for a moment, until Lucius spoke again.

"Okay, so you have a way to beat the Veritaserum. But it doesn't excuse your behaviour out there." He had adopted a stern expression again, and was now looking at Tiger indignantly. Tiger's smile faded when he saw Lucius' look. He looked to Dumbledore, and found an equally stern look on the old man's face.

"I won't get away without punishment?" Tiger asked in his sweetest, innocent little boy way.

"I'm afraid not," Dumbledore answered sympathetically.

Tiger's lips quivered dramatically before he hung his head, and awaited his punishment. There was a moment of silence in which Tiger almost thought he had succeeded with his little show, but then Dumbledore spoke again.

"Go to the library, Tiger, and wait there until Lucius and I discuss what to do with you." Tiger looked up at the headmaster and waited for more instructions. "You will find, there, an envelope with your OWL results, and a list of the subjects you can choose to take this year. There will also be a letter which explains to you what you have to consider in your selection." When Dumbledore stopped, Tiger nodded and left the room to do as he was told, and went to the library.

Upon entering the library, Tiger smiled when he saw the rows and rows of books, and felt the same calmness enveloping him that he had felt the first day he entered this room.

From where he stood, Tiger could see a thick envelope, with parchment and quill lying on his favourite table in front of the fireplace.

Tiger crossed the library and sat down in a comfortable armchair. He took the envelope and opened it. There were three letters, and Tiger began to read the first.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Ryan,

Enclosed, please find your OWL results and a list of classes you can choose for your future education. Please consider the fact that you have to choose at least two, but not more then three advanced classes, and three to five basic classes. You must pick at least one main subject (Potion / Transfiguration / Charms / Defence Against The Dark Arts) for your advanced classes, and you cannot select new classes for your advanced classes. You also have to have specific notes to choose some subjects for advanced classes. There will be a remark on your results.

We hope we can comply with your wishes, and therefore guarantee the best possible preparation for your future life.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Tiger took the second letter, which contains his OWL results, and read it with a wide grin.

Transfiguration - Outstanding (accepted for advanced class)

Potions - Outstanding (accepted for advanced class)

Charms - Outstanding (accepted for advanced class)

Defence Against The Dark Arts - Outstanding (accepted for advanced class)

History Of Magic - Outstanding (accepted for advanced class)

Herbology - Outstanding (accepted for advanced class)

Astronomy - Outstanding (accepted for advanced class)

Arithmancy - Outstanding (accepted for advanced class)

Care Of Magical Creatures - Outstanding (accepted for advanced class)

Divination - Dreadful (not accepted for advanced class)

"Wow," was all Tiger could say.

"There is a great difference between hearing it and reading it, isn't there?" a smirking voice said from behind him.

Startled, Tiger turned around, and looked up into sparkling silver-blue eyes.

"Draco!" He smiled, and watch as the blond walked around his chair, and sat down opposite of him.

"Have you chosen your subjects yet?" the blond asked, while feeding his kitten some raw meat.

"No. I was just reading the letter, and my results. I don't even know what I can choose. What about you? Have you chosen what you will study for the next three years?"

"Yes, I received my letter the day before we rescued you."

"You mean kidnapped," Tiger said, smiling.

"Whatever. I've already received the confirmation that I got in all my chosen subjects." Draco smiled proudly.

"So what are your advanced classes?"

"Potions-"

"No, really?" Tiger commented, mock surprised.

"Defence Against The Dark Arts," Draco continued, as if he hadn't heard Tiger's comment, "and Transfiguration. What will you choose?"

"Potions and DADA in any case. I need it to become an Auror. And then, perhaps Charms. I think spells are still a lot more effective than transfigurations when I'm facing Death Eaters. Besides, I think even in basic Transfiguration, McGonagall will teach us enough to conquer with advanced classes. So what are the new subjects you have chosen? And what other basics do you have?" Tiger took the list of classes, and scanned it while Draco spoke.

"Charms, of course, then History of Magic, and Herbology. I also wanted to continue with Arithmancy and Astronomy, but there were a few last minute changes when I heard of two new subjects."

"Which?" Tiger asked curiously.

"Magical Healing and Wandless Magic."

"I've never heard about those subjects being taught in Hogwarts."

"That's because they're new; and there will only be two students in them."

"Two?"

"Yes; me and you."

"But why?" Tiger's curiosity had transfigured into confusion. "Why would they invent two new subjects just for us?"

"Because you will have to learn it, Tiger, and Draco wanted to keep you company." The two boys turned around to find Lucius and Dumbledore walking over to them. Dumbledore smiled at them with his typical twinkling eyes. "You said you wanted to learn Healing, and I think it isn't bad to know basic wandless magic. So I talked to Poppy, and she agreed to teach you Healing."

"Who will teach us Wandless Magic?" Tiger's curiosity was back.

"Me. But also Remus, when I'm otherwise occupied."

"Cool." Tiger smiled brightly at the thought of being able to spend more time with Remus. 'If Dumbledore is going to have Remus teach us wandless magic, then he must be okay with Remus finding out about me,'Tiger thought happily.

"Have you chosen your other classes?" Dumbledore asked, amused.

"I will take Potions, Charms, and Defence Against the Dark Arts for advanced classes, and Transfiguration, History Of Magic and Herbology for basics, besides Wandless and Healing of course." When Tiger was speaking, crosses appeared by the classes he had named, indicating what he had chosen.

"That's settled then." Dumbledore took the parchment and put it in his pocket. Then he turned back to Tiger. "Now for your punishment." Tiger shuddered at the abrupt change in Dumbledore's voice. "Lucius and I think it advisable that you continue with your study of Occlumency. After what happened today, I'm sure that there will be a few people who will be watching you closely, because you have given them a lot to think about."

"But Professor, I thought it was okay for Remus to know; otherwise you wouldn't let him teach me another subject, making it so that we were together longer than necessary?"

"It isn't because of Lupin that you have to learn it, Tiger." Lucius spoke for the first time since they had entered the library. "Don't you think that Severus will be curious to know who this mysterious Tiger Ryan really is? A boy who has an incredible knowledge about Potions, and who is obviously immune to Veritaserum?"

"Oh. I didn't think about him. Do you think he would try to enter my mind?" Tiger looked from Lucius to Dumbledore, and back to Lucius. He got his answer without them speaking. And he found out the main reason why he had to learn Occlumency. "It's because of Voldemort." He stated simply, and Dumbledore smiled in approval.

"You ruined his attack. He will want to know who you are."

"Have I got you into trouble?" Tiger asked Lucius, remorseful

"I _will_ have to answer to him for that."

"I'm sorry. I didn't think about that."

"Anyway," Dumbledore said, interrupting the silence which had followed Tiger's apology. "One day you'll have to face him. No one knows when it will be or what the circumstances will be, but you'll have to be prepared."

"Lucius?" Tiger looked at the elder Malfoy surprised.

"I had to learn it after I became a spy. Voldemort is a master in Legilimency. He almost always knows when someone is lying to him. It was too risky to be at his side when I couldn't hide my true feelings."

"Snape taught you, didn't he?" Tiger asked with a smirk.

"How did you know?" Lucius looked at him, mildly confused.

"He told me the exact same thing in my first lesson." There was a moment's silence before Tiger spoke again. "Will you use the same method as him?" His voice was calm, if a bit fearful, and he bit nervously on his lower lip, which was still sore from that morning.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked Tiger from where he still sat, opposite him.

"No, my methods will be more - let's say - humane."

"Thanks." Tiger smiled faintly, before he turned to Dumbledore.

"Professor, I'm really not begging for it, but this doesn't seem like a punishment, but a necessity. Will there be any other consequences concerning my behaviour today?"

"You will see that there will be no time for other consequences this summer. You will want to be as prepared as possible for your sixth year."

'In other words I have to learn, learn, and learn some more.' Tiger groaned inwardly at the amount of work he still had to do to come up to his OWL results - especially in Potions.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	14. bound to the enemy

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 14 – bound to the enemy**

/-

/-

/-

The week following Harry Potter's funeral found Tiger Ryan under constant study stress. The first days Lucius and he worked all day on Tiger's Occlumency skills, to be prepared for the worst.

Draco's training had been laid on ice for a while (Lucius had taught him the basics after learning it himself) because of the urgency of Tiger's preparation. And since he didn't want to spend the next few days on his own, he had decided to visit with his mother and godfather for the week.

Lucius' teaching methods were a lot better than Snape's had been. The elder Malfoy had started with basics, even though Tiger had already had Occlumency lessons. But Lucius thought that one had to have an understanding of this sort of magic before they could affectively use it. He had also done a probe of Tiger's mind, without any force, and had told him what he was looking for.

The first time, Tiger had thought that if he knew what he had to defend against, it would be very easy to block Lucius' attempt to enter his mind, but there was still so much force that Tiger needed too much time to throw Lucius out of his head.

The next time Tiger tried, he had the needed respect for the slightest attack, and he managed it in less time than the first. At the end of their first day of training, Tiger had successfully barred Lucius' attempts to read his mind. But before they left the library for dinner, Lucius proved that Tiger had a lot more to learn, by probing him without warning, so they spent the next few days in the library training Tiger's Occlumency skills.

By the end of the week, he had successfully closed his mind whenever Lucius had warned him before he attacked full-force, no matter which feelings he tried to read. But Tiger still had problems keeping his shield up when they weren't training. Sometimes during dinner, Lucius would surprise Tiger, catching him unprepared. If it had been Snape, or even worse, Voldemort, they would have gained enough information to expose him.

The day Draco came back, Lucius had started to attack unannounced only while Tiger was working on his Potions reviews. There had already been an explosion when Tiger dropped too many viridis acutus in his de-warting Potion. So after that he had confined himself to reading through his Potion book.

When Draco entered the library one afternoon, Lucius took the moment of Tiger's distraction to enter his mind. This time he searched for memories about Draco. He was a little shocked when all he found were pictures of Draco where he was being mean to Potter and his friends. The last image he saw before Tiger brutally threw him out was his smirking son the day they 'kidnapped' Harry.

Tiger, who had been on his way to Draco when Lucius attacked him, had fallen to his knees, and was now looking, shaken, to Lucius, who was coming to his feet on the other side of the library where he had landed after Tiger had fought him out of his mind.

They held the eye-contact for a long while, Tiger's face showing shock, anger, but mostly hurt, and Lucius just looked confused.

Tiger opened his mouth to say something, but then he turned around and fled the room, passing a very confused-looking Draco.

-------

"I thought by now you would see more in me than just the annoying little prat."

Tiger's eyes snapped open when he heard Draco's voice in combination with his approaching footsteps. When he felt a pressure on the bed beside him, he turned his head and looked into a pair of disappointed silver-blue eyes.

"But then again, I couldn't expect you to bury all your ill feelings about me in such a short period of time - although you could have fooled me."

It pained Tiger to see Draco this hurt. He had never wanted him to find out about his doubts: not this way, anyway. He sat up in bed and reached for Draco's hand.

"Draco, I'm sorry, but-"

"No!" The blonde cut him off, jumping up and glaring at the other boy, his voice rising steadily. "Don't you dare apologize for what you feel. Don't you dare try to talk your way out of this."

"Please, just let me explain."

"I don't need an explanation. I saw your thoughts of me. Father showed me."

"But he only saw the beginning before I threw him out."

"But those were your most prominent feelings towards me."

"But not the most important," Tiger pleaded with him.

"Then why is your first thought when I returned of how I've ill-treated you in the past? Why not memories of us laughing together, or when we lay in bed together or even when we fought at the funeral and when I held you in my arms afterwards? Do you feel nothing but hate for me?" He was shouting by now, ignoring the tears of frustration running down his cheek.

"That's not true," Tiger answered in a broken tone. He was standing now too, and reached for Draco again, but when the blond spoke again he flinched back.

"Isn't it?" Draco spit back.

Tiger's soft "No" urged him to continue.

"Then why, pray tell, do you treat me like that? Why do you tease me the way you do, but then back away as if nothing had happened? Why do you open up to me, just to crawl deeper into your shell in the end? Why do you do all that when you still hate me so much?" Draco had just ended his tirade when Tiger exploded.

"I'm afraid, okay? That's what you want to hear, isn't it?" He glared at Draco, the blue sparkles in his green eyes daring the blond to try anything. "I'm afraid you'll be your nasty self once we get back to Hogwarts. I'm afraid I'll have to choose between you and Ron and Hermione when we're back at school. I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't get sorted into Slytherin, and you don't talk to me and hang around with me the way you do now. I'm afraid to get too attached to you, and then lose you again." The last statement was only whispered, and Draco had to lean closer to Tiger to hear it. Both had tears running down their cheeks now, and when Draco leaned in at Tiger's last comment, the black-haired youth threw his arms around him, and sobbed in his chest.

Draco was stunned for a moment. He was torn between the need to console Tiger, and to not let himself get hurt once again by the other boy's mood swings.

When Tiger noticed that Draco hadn't responded to the embrace he let go of him, took a step back, and turned around. "Sorry," he murmured, and went back to the bed. He sat down at the head of it, arms wrapped around his legs, and head resting on his knees.

Draco watched Tiger for a while, debating with himself whether he should follow his heart, wrap the other boy in his arms and cuddle him close to his chest, or to follow his mind and leave, so as not be trapped by Tiger's act again. In the end, he left the room without looking back. Because of that, he never heard Tiger murmur.

"You're too important to lose."

-------

During the next few days, Tiger tried more than once to talk to Draco, but the blond refused to even listen to him. That led to Tiger's lack of concentration in his lessons with Lucius, who had no patience for the boys' behaviour. (He and Tiger had a conversation about what he had seen in Tiger's mind, and after Tiger had explained his feelings, Lucius understood it all. But that didn't excuse their actions.) It took him only a minimal effort to enter Tiger's mind, and every time he did, he punished Tiger with painful memories.

The afternoon of the second day after Draco's return Tiger was a total wrack after constant attacks from Lucius. But Draco wasn't any better. Lucius had taken up Draco's Occlumency lessons again, and had sent him a few of Tiger's memories to show what the other boy had been through.

The following day, Lucius had enough of their childish behaviour, and forced the two to speak together. He put a binding spell on them so that they couldn't escape each other. Whenever one of them tried to walk more than five feet away from the other there would be a forceful pull, which threw them back together.

Draco had a fit when his father had put the spell on them. First he tried to walk away, but when the pull had forced him into Tiger's lap, he shouted at his father in a way that Tiger remembered from his last visit in Dumbledore's office.

Tiger would have found the show quite funny if it weren't for the fact that he was right in the forefront of the shouting and Draco's pacing around, which he had to copy because of the spell. But aside of that, it was hilarious. Draco was venting about not being a child who needed to be forced to make up with his friend after a silly fight about a toy.

'We're friends,' Tiger thought, with a smile.

About him being a Malfoy, and Malfoys didn't have _silly_ fights: when he acts like that, it is of importance.

'I'm important to him.'

And about being in _his _house, and that Lucius had no right to treat him like that, or to interfere in his life in such an inappropriate way…

"…especially not in my love life!"

Tiger stopped dead at that moment. It wasn't because of Draco's last words, which were shouted in rage without thinking, but the moment Draco said it, Tiger felt it.

When the words left Draco's mouth, Tiger saw and felt images of Draco's current feelings. He stared at the blonde with a newfound realisation, but before he could react in any way, he was forcefully pulled forward at the same time Draco was pulled back. They crashed together, and fell in a pile of limbs to the floor.

Lucius, who had watched his son's tirade without any kind of reaction, stepped forward and held out his hand for Draco to help him up. Draco reluctantly took the hand, and let his father help him to his feet. They locked eyes for a moment before Draco turned and went back to his chair. But after two steps, he was pulled back again.

Managing to keep standing, Draco turned around to give Tiger an appropriate comment about his slowness, but when he saw Tiger lying on the floor face first, he kept quiet. Lucius stepped up beside Tiger, and helped him up.

"I have a meeting with Voldemort today. I still have to report on the incident at Potter's funeral," the elder Malfoy stated.

Tiger lowered his head, but Lucius didn't react to it.

"After that I will discuss with Dumbledore what we talked about, so I won't be back 'til tomorrow." He watched them sitting down on either side of the couch, Spike lying between them. His eyes stayed on Tiger when he spoke again. The dark-haired boy's gaze was soft and never left Draco, but the blond never noticed. "I expect that you'll have solved your problems by then."

Then he looked at Draco, who met his eyes obediently. "I won't accept your immature behaviour any longer. The spell won't wear of until you two have worked out your differences, so don't even try to fool me by pretending you get on with each other. You can't fool the spell. And be aware, I will find out." With that said, he turned around and left. The library fell quiet.

After ten minutes, Tiger was still staring at Draco, who hadn't moved since Lucius had left. He was staring in front of him, his hands absentmindedly stroking Spike, who had crawled in his lap after the shouting had stopped.

'Why won't you speak to me? How long will you act like this?' Tiger thought to himself. He smiled faintly when Spike bit Draco on the hand, and brought the blond out of his stare.

"You little monster," Draco laughed when he teased Spike with his own tail.

Tiger's smile grew wider at the scene. He laughed when Spike bit Draco's finger instead of his own tail.

Draco's head spun around, and they looked at each other. Both their smiles faded, and were replaced by sad (Tiger) and hurt (Draco) expressions.

'What are you feeling right now?' Tiger thought. 'I wish I knew what goes on in your mind. Why are you looking so hurt? What can I do to make you smile at me again?' He hadn't finished this thought when pictures started to appear in his mind. He saw images of himself smiling at someone whose perspective he had adopted. The next showed him together with Draco standing in front of a mirror, locking eyes through the mirror. The last image he saw was of himself leaning in to kiss the owner of the memory – Draco.

His eyes widened when he realized what he was doing. He was using Legilimency on Draco, and he didn't know how to stop it. He watched Draco's horror-stricken face while he still 'felt' images entering his mind.

It took Draco a while to realise what had just happened. When he saw Tiger's reaction, he panicked and backed away over the side of the couch. But because of their bond, he was pulled back, and landed painfully half on and half off the couch, which broke their mental connection.

Draco came back to his feet and glared down at Tiger. "How dare you?" He tried to take a step back but it felt like an invisible wall was blocking him. "How dare you enter my mind without my permission? Why haven't you told me you can do Legilimency?"

"Draco, please." Tiger stood up and stepped forward, but with every step he took, Draco moved away so that there was still the same distance between them. "Please, Draco; I swear I didn't want it."

"Why did you do it? How could you do it? How dare you?" Draco was shouting by now, and he still tried to back away from Tiger.

"Believe me, I have no idea how I did it. I've never done it before this afternoon, I swear. I didn't even know I was capable of doing it until I felt your feelings, when Lucius put the spell on us."

"Do you mean you've done that to me before?"

They both stopped, and when Tiger's only answer was a slight nod, Draco went on. His voice was now only a whisper. He looked a bit frightened. "What have you seen?"

"I've felt more than seen," Tiger said softly. He took a step forward, and now Draco didn't back away. A second step, and he stood mere inches away from the blond.

"What did you feel?" Draco only mouthed his question. He knew his voice wouldn't work. He looked pleadingly at Tiger, never breaking eye-contact; wishing for an answer, but fearing it as well.

Tiger slowly raised his right hand to Draco's cheek. He let his hand hover so near to it that Draco could feel his heat, but Tiger wasn't really touching him.

"I felt anger, hurt, and betrayal. It pained me to know that it was me who caused those feelings. I didn't know what to do, then. I wanted to run away. I didn't want to feel your pain. I wanted to stay, and take in every single painful feeling you had. I wanted to wrap my arms around you, and hold you close. I wanted to whisper in your ears that I'm sorry, and that I would do everything to make it up to you."

Draco had leaned into the touch, Tiger's words melting his resistance.

"I wanted to place my lips on yours, and take in every single taste of you, to know what a delicate person you are; to know who I've hurt so much." Tiger's thumb stroked softly over Draco's upper lip, catching a single tear which had escaped from silvery, emotion-filled eyes.

At the touch, Draco closed his eyes, diving into the feeling of Tiger's closeness. He opened them again suddenly when he felt the thumb leave his lips, only to be replaced instantly by something very soft. He looked, startled, into green orbs, blue sparkles pleading within. He relaxed instantly, and his eyes closed again. He felt Tiger smile faintly against his lips before arms snaked around his waist. When their lips parted, Draco rested his head on Tiger's shoulder while the other boy whispered in his ear.

"I'm really sorry, Dragon. I just don't know how to cope with all of this. It's too much for me, sometimes. I don't know why I can't give in and just enjoy everything. I think I fear what will happen when I'm force to give it all up again. It will only be more painful if I'm too attached to everything. I don't want to lose this." He put a hand under Draco's chin and raised his head so that they locked eyes. "I don't want to lose you." He gave him another soft kiss before stepping away and walking in the direction of the library door.

Draco, who had been silent all that time, raised a hand to his lips, which still tingled from Tiger's touch. Slowly he turned around to watch Tiger leave, when he suddenly felt a forceful pull, and seconds later found himself on the floor beside a slightly bewildered Tiger.

Tiger looked at Draco for a moment, before he realized what was going on. He lowered his gaze before he spoke. "I can't expect you to trust me again yet, after what I've done to you. I'm sorry." He stood up, and helped Draco to his feet as well.

"I think we both need time to be able to trust each other again." Draco smiled at Tiger and looked down at their still entwined hands, his thumb stroking softly over the back of Tiger's hand. His smile widened, when he looked back up. "And how else could we do it but by being together 24/7?"

Tiger smiled back, and the two spent the rest of the day together, wandering the grounds, playing chess, and they even went flying for a while, performing a nearly synchronous show in the air.

-------

In the wee hours the next morning, Tiger woke to soft whispers and heavy breathing. When he looked to his right, he found a still sleeping Draco, apparently having an interesting dream. The blond mumbled sweet nothings, and licked his lips sheepishly. Tiger's gaze wandered from his face to his sweaty chest, and lower to the obvious bulge in his boxers. 'Good thing that I insisted on going to bed immediately after he showered, without giving him the opportunity to put on pyjamas,' Tiger thought, and smirked mischievously. After their late flight yesterday, the two had a slightly awkward moment when they went to shower, which had ended, not in a fight, but in Draco not speaking to Tiger.

Flashback

"I really don't see your problem, there, Tiger. I've already seen you naked, and I've no problem with you seeing me without my clothes. I'm not responsible for our current situation, you know, so don't blame me. I just want to take a shower so that I can go to bed. Maybe tomorrow we can talk to Dad and show him that we're getting on well enough so that he will end the spell. But for now, take of your clothes and step into this shower."

It wasn't the fact that Tiger was ashamed, or anything. Draco had a point; he had already seen him naked. 'But that was before I knew that this might lead to something serious. Then, I had total control over the situation and my body, but now I don't think I could resist so easily when he touches me. This shower isn't really that big.' And especially not when his body was already responding from being so close to Draco the whole day. 'Oh, right. Thanks again for lending me your robes after you've spilled pumpkin juice all over my jeans, Draco.' Tiger smiled shyly and looked down at himself, making sure that nothing betrayed his state of arousal.

"Turn around."

"What?" Draco asked, surprised.

"Please turn around, Draco." Tiger had to put everything in his look to bring Draco to obey without questioning.

"I don't know what is going on with you now, but if you insist." Draco reluctantly turned his back to Tiger.

"Thanks." The black-haired boy took off his clothes, and stepped into the shower, closing the door behind him, and placing his pyjamas and towel over the door so that Draco couldn't look through it.

When Draco heard the water of the shower he turned around and began to take off his own clothes, but stopped when he saw the closed shower door.

"Tiger?" He tried to open the door, but he felt Tiger holding it closed from inside. "Tiger, what's wrong with you?"

"Just a minute Draco, please."

"Oh, I can't believe you sometimes!" Draco threw his hands in the air in exasperated defeat, turned around, and wanted to walk away, but remembered in time that he couldn't.

Two minutes later, Tiger stepped out of the shower dressed in his pyjamas, and stepped up to Draco.

"Sorry, but I-"

"Don't think that I will hurry up just because you're a prude who won't share the shower."

"I'm not-"

"Whatever." Draco pushed past him, and entered the shower.

Thirty minutes later, Draco was finally ready, and they went back into Draco's room. The blond wanted to take his pyjamas from the dresser, but before he could reach it, Tiger had already sat down on the bed, and refused to stand up again. So an angry Draco, clad in only his boxers, lay down on the bed and refused to say one more word.

Tiger had tried to explain that he had felt awkward in this situation, and that the other time had been totally different, but Draco hadn't reacted in any way. So Tiger just placed a gentle kiss to the corner of Draco's mouth, whispered a soft 'I'm sorry,' and lay down leaving enough space between them for another person to fit.

Flashback End

Tiger's gaze wandered back up to Draco's face, and smiled when he saw the tip of Draco's tongue between his teeth, just like he did when he was in deep concentration.

'Tell me what you are dreaming about.' Tiger was only slightly surprised when he felt the now familiar sensation of using Legilimency. He didn't know how he did it, but for now that was the last thing on his mind.

He saw pictures of himself and Draco kissing. He assumed that the fact that he could see Draco too was because this wasn't a memory, but a fantasy – he had never done _this _to Draco, before. In Draco's fantasy they were kissing passionately, tongues fighting for dominance. Draco lay on the bed, and Tiger was propped up on one elbow, stroking the blonde's cheek with his other hand. When their lips parted, Draco let out a soft whimper.

Tiger smiled when he heard Draco whimper. His smile grew into a smirk when he saw the next pictures, and a mischievous plan formed in his mind.

Carefully, he laid a hand on Draco's chest, closely watching Draco's face for any reaction. He didn't wake, but licked his lips in anticipation. Slowly the hand wandered up and down, brushing slightly over one of Draco's nipples. Draco's moan stopped Tiger's movements, but when the blond didn't wake, he copied Draco's dream, and placed soft kisses on his neck and chest until he reached one nipple.

"Tiger."

Tiger froze, and slowly looked up, letting out a deep breath when he found Draco still sleeping. He probed him once again, and hesitated just a moment before he continued with his ministration. While he kissed and licked one nipple, his hand left the other one and wandered down until it reached the waistband of Draco's boxers. Tiger blew on the nipple, causing Draco to shiver. His hand glided over the waistband of the boxers before he slipped it in, touching the blonde's erection.

"Please." Draco's hips bucked up, and Tiger was about to pull away, but obviously the boy was still dreaming. Tiger began to stroke Draco's cock; first slowly and softly, but increasing speed and pressure constantly, all the while trailing kisses on his chest until he reached the neck and began to suck and nip lightly at his pulse point, slowly bringing Draco over the edge.

When Tiger felt Draco reaching climax, he stopped kissing and pulled his hand out of the blonde's boxers. He whispered, "Come for me, my Dragon," in Draco's ear, and lay back down as if nothing had happened.

Draco woke with a start. Breathing hard, he looked down at himself. "Fuck," he cursed quietly. He closed his eyes tightly and turned to the boy next to him. Opening one eye, he peered down at Tiger. When he found the other boy still asleep, he breathed in relief. Carefully he slid to the side of the bed, hoping he could reach the bathroom and clean himself before his companion woke up.

But after only one step, Draco stopped, remembering the spell, and let himself fall, defeated, down onto the bed beside a totally bewildered looking Tiger.

"Morning," the dark haired boy said, yawning. "How long have you been awake?" Rubbing his eyes sleepily, Tiger set up and looked at the blond.

"Just woke up. I have to use the bathroom, but I forgot about the bond. Sorry."

"It's okay." Tiger stood up, turned around, and held out his hand to help Draco to his feet. But before Draco could grab the hand, Tiger lowered it again when his gaze fell to Draco's lap. Draco blushed a deep red, and refused to look at Tiger when he spoke again. "I assume, then, it wasn't a dream after all."

"What?" Now Draco's head snapped up, and he went even redder when he held Tiger's gaze.

"I dreamt you were… you know." Tiger nodded his head to Draco's groin. "I heard you moan and mumble something which I couldn't understand, and then I felt movements on the mattress as if a small weight had jumped on the bed."

Draco hid his head in his hands, and groaned pitifully.

Tiger knelt in front of him, and pulled his hands away, forcing Draco to look at him. "I don't know if I should be honoured or upset. It's nice to know that your dream was about me – whatever I've done to you, it must have been good. But it hurts to know that you can have all that fun without me. I think if you fantasize about my hand down your trousers at all, then there should be something in it for me, as well."

Draco's mouth fell opened and he watched in total shock when Tiger turned around and went into the bathroom.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	15. A Date with Voldemort

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

Chapter 15 – A Date with Voldemort

/-

/-

/-

Tiger was already sitting at the breakfast table when a confused Draco entered the Dining room. He walked up to Tiger, and glared down at him.

"How did you do it? What did you do? Why is the spell broken? How do you know about my dream? What did you do to me?" At the end of his questioning, Draco was shouting down at Tiger, who looked up a bit guiltily at the blond. They locked eyes, and for once it was Tiger who melted at Draco's angry and hurt look.

"Don't tell me you're still fighting." A voice broke their eye contact. They both turned around and found a solemnly beaten up Lucius standing in the doorway, supporting himself at the doorframe.

"Dad!"

"Lucius!" Both boy ran up to the elder Malfoy and caught him just before his legs gave in, and he sank to the floor.

"Fuck, Dad, what happened?" Draco asked, after he and Tiger had helped Lucius to a chair.

"The Dark Lord wasn't pleased about the fact that it was my guest who prevented his attack at Potter's funeral," Lucius croaked out, trying to stay seated on the chair.

"I'm sorry, Lucius. I didn't think about what would happen to you. I wish I could have prevented being recognized as your guest. I-"

"It's okay, Tiger," Lucius interrupted, placing a hand on the upset boy's shoulder. "It isn't our most important problem to solve whose fault it was. We have much bigger trouble."

"What is it?" Draco asked, in a fearful whisper. He'd never seen his father this broken. He had been tortured a few times by Voldemort, and Draco had been there to look after him until he was okay again. But never had he been this battered.

"Voldemort wants to see you," Lucius looked apologetically at Tiger. "He's waiting at the Manor. We have to go soon."

Tiger had to swallow hard before he could speak. His eyes had popped out in fear when Lucius had spoken. But now he had his composure back, and smiled slightly at Lucius. "Well, at least he'd have a real reason to kill me, now. After all, I didn't choose to be 'The Boy Who Lived'. I'll go alone. You can't come along; you can't even walk." Tiger turned around and started to walk to the door.

"No!" Draco and Lucius cried out at once.

Tiger stopped after just one step. Then he watched Lucius turning to Draco.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I wish I could take off the spell, but it is irremovable. I fear you have to go with us."

"But it's-" Tiger began, but Draco cut him of immediately.

"It's okay. I won't leave Tiger's side – literally," Draco added, with a slight smile.

"You can't do that," Tiger whispered in Draco's ear. "Stay and help Lucius."

"I will not let you do this on your own. I know you've faced Voldemort before, but now he won't just try to kill you."

"What do you mean?" Tiger asked, confused, as he looked at Draco. Then he turned to Lucius, who'd locked eyes with Draco. After a while they nodded, and Lucius turned to Tiger.

"We fear that he will try to recruit you."

"What?" Tiger asked, shocked. He had never thought something like this could happen.

"He knows you're living here. He thinks I'm faithful and will give Draco to him at his seventeenth birthday. He will expect you at his side on that day."

"But you can't do that," Tiger turned worriedly to Draco.

"There is nothing I can do about it." The blond said sadly.

"Hell there isn't," Tiger bellowed all of a sudden. "You can very well refuse."

"No I can't," Draco answered calmly.

"But-" Tiger started, but this time he was interrupted by a painful scream.

"Aaahhh."

"Dad!"

"Lucius." The two boys ran to Lucius, who was trying to stand up, and helped him up.

"He is calling. We have to go."

"But you can't come," Draco said worriedly. "You're too hurt."

"I will not let you face him on your own. I swore to myself I wouldn't let them hurt you," Lucius said, laying a hand on Draco's cheek. "Both of you," he added while looking at Tiger.

"Then let's go," Tiger said enthusiastically. "He wants to meet Tiger Ryan? Then he will get to know him."

"What are you up to now?" Both Malfoys asked him sceptically.

"You'll see." Tiger smirked a Malfoy smirk, and with newfound self-confidence, he led the way to the ancestor room.

"Wait." Lucius stopped just before the door. He turned first to Draco, then to Tiger. "Make sure your walls are up, and be prepared for him entering your minds. But don't close yourselves up entirely. Don't make him suspicious."

The two boys nodded, and walked on.

-------

When they entered the living room in Malfoy Manor, they were confronted with at least seven Death Eaters. Lucius stopped in the middle of the room, Tiger and Draco close behind. Lucius had insisted on walking on his own once they had entered the Manor, but now he was grateful that the two boys were standing as close as they were, so he could lean against them unnoticed.

With a quick glance around, Tiger noticed he knew all of them. First there was Crabbe and Goyle Senior, who were positioned at the door like bodyguards. Then there were Avery, Nott, and McNair watching them intently from the fireplace. His heartbeat rose when he saw the person sitting on the couch talking to two men; Bellatrix Lestrange, her husband Rodolphus, and his brother Rabastan were laughing about something, totally ignoring the newcomers.

"There you are, at last." A ninth person approached them, glaring at Lucius urgently.

Then his silver hand pointed at Draco, beside Lucius. "What is _he_ doing here?" Wormtail asked menacingly.

"Remind me, Wormtail; when did you become my Master, whom I have to answer to?" Lucius sneered at the excuse of a man. The two boys behind him adopted identical smirks.

"Lucius," came a hiss from the corner of the room. The three turned around, and found a hooded figure walking up to them.

"My Lord." Lucius sank to his knees, and awaited further instructions. Tiger and Draco just stood there, and watched what happened, faces betraying nothing of their nervousness. But when Tiger's hand brushed softly against the blond's he felt it shiver. Wormtail backed away when the figure stopped a few feet away from the kneeling Malfoy.

"You're taken some time, Lucius. What kept you?"

"My Lord, I apologize for my laziness. I first had to find the boys. I don't trust the house elves with such a message. Please forgive me, my Lord."

"I see. Stand up, Lucius." Lucius did as he was told. He tried not to show how hurt he was, and surprisingly, if he hadn't looked like shit, no one would have noticed that there was anything wrong at all. He walked back to Tiger and Draco, and stood protectively in front of them.

When he felt a reassuring hand on his back, he turned to Draco and nodded to him to indicate that he was okay. When he felt a second hand on his back, he also turned to Tiger and nodded again. For a moment he felt the two hands wander and met each other before they vanished from his back, and the two boys took a step forward each, and positioned themselves in front of Lucius.

"Ah, yesss," Voldemort hissed. "That must be your son, Lucius."

Yes my Lord. This is Draco."

"Draco." The blond suppressed a shiver when the Dark Lord said his name. He lowered his head, beginning to sink to his knees, but a strong hand around his wrist allowed him only a small bow.

When he came back up, he shot Tiger a questioning look, but the boy wasn't looking at him. Instead, his thumb stroked softly over Draco's wrist before moving his hand away unnoticed.

"And that must be your newest protégé?" Voldemort took a step closer to Tiger, looking him deep in the eye. Tiger braced himself for what he was about to do, before he took a step forward, himself. Voldemort stopped, and looked Tiger up and down.

"Tiger, what are you doing?" Draco whispered frantically, but the raven haired boy ignored him, and copied the Dark Lord's examination.

"Why are you clothed like a filthy muggle? You don't seem like someone who has to hide who he is." Voldemort circled Tiger once, before stopping in front of him again.

"Why won't you put down your hood? You don't seem like someone who has to hide who he is." Tiger, too, circled Voldemort before he stopped in front of him.

"How dare you mock the Dark Lord?" A voice squeaked, followed by a firmly spoken hex. "_Inctus Vultus!_" A blue light shot out of Wormtail's wand.

With lightning reflexes, Tiger stepped aside, and the blue light passed him ineffectively. Tiger shot around to face his attacker, but before he was half 'way around he heard a slapping noise, followed by general gasps, and a whimpering noise from his other side.

"Master! I'm sorry." Wormtail felt to his knees, and crawled up to his master, kissing the hem of his robes. "I didn't mean to hit you. The spell was supposed to-"

"Crucio." For the next two minutes there was no sound but the excruciating screams of a tortured man. When Voldemort stopped the curse, he glared down at the cowering man. "I hope the next time you try to hex someone, make sure you hit the right person. Or your will risk your life for a simple 'slap in the face'-curse."

"Get him out of my sight," he ordered.

Crabbe and Goyle walked up to them to escort Wormtail away, but before the two reached them, Tiger bowed down and whispered into Pettigrew's ear.

"Next time, try a more effectual spell when you intend to hit the wrong person."

Wormtail's eyes went wide in shock, but before he could say anything, Crabbe and Goyle escorted him out of the room. Tiger smirked to himself before he looked back up to Voldemort.

But his smirk froze when he came face to face with the Dark Lord's wand. For a long while there was no sound, and nobody dared to move. Tiger looked up from the wand to Voldemort's hooded face, and stared at him unwavering. He had his right hand fisted around his hidden wand at his outer thigh, but for the moment he wouldn't pull it out.

Slowly Voldemort raised his hands to his head, and pulled off his hood. His red eyes were fixated on Tiger, who let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, still eye-locked with the Dark Lord.

"Do you think I have to hide myself?" The elder wizard broke the eye-contact and circled Tiger once again. The boy stood where he was, not following the man's movements. He locked eyes with Lucius for a moment when he noticed the man staring at him. The blond tried to indicate something to him and mouthed "It's enough," but Tiger just smirked at him, and Lucius sank, defeated, into the armchair behind him.

Tiger waited for the Dark Lord to appear in his sight again before he spoke. "I would say it depends on where you intend to go. As long as you don't try out for witch weekly's 'Most Charming Smile' Award, you shouldn't have that much a problem." Tiger felt the temperature in the room sink under Voldemort's glare, so he tried to compensate for the damage he'd just done. "After all, now that I'm in the country, I'm claiming that award for myself." He smiled his most charming smile, but it didn't seem to have the effect he wanted.

The Dark Lord still glared at him, but when there was suppressed laughter which ended up in a cough, coming from Draco, he turned around and faced the younger blond.

"Do you think that was funny?" Draco sobered at once and looked, lost, between Voldemort and Tiger, who were both looking at him – Voldemort daringly, and Tiger still smiling, and nodding at the other boy.

Draco returned the smile, and then looked back to his father's master. "To be honest, my Lord," he began, still smiling, and stealing another glance at Tiger, "he _has_ the most charming smile I've ever seen."

"Is that so?" Draco nodded eagerly, and Voldemort turned back to Tiger, who was standing beside Draco once again. "I think you have an incredible gift about you, which you will use well once I've taken you into my circle. Am I correct that your birthday is the same as young Draco's here? So I can welcome you both in my ranks on that day." It wasn't a question, but a demand.

"Lucius."

"My Lord?" Lucius stood back up from the chair, and walked up to his master.

"Take the boys home, and maybe you could try and explain to your guest what it means to be a pureblood wizard. It seems to me he is a bit - How can I put it? Ah, yes. - poisoned by his upbringing."

"H-" Tiger began to retort, fuming, but couldn't even say one word before Draco had elbowed him in the ribs, and Lucius had spoken.

"I will see to it, my Lord."

"You may go, then. I will be on my way soon. Until then, I don't want to see you, Lucius."

"As you wish, my Lord."

"Boys, I expect to see you on your seventeenth birthday." The Dark Lord turned around and walked back to the chair where he has been sitting when the two Malfoys and Tiger had arrived. Just when he sat down, and Lucius and Draco began to walk out of the door, Tiger turned around and broke the silence.

"I don't think I'm free that day."

Voldemort stood back up, and with a few steps he was once again in front of Tiger. Draco and Lucius hadn't noticed that Tiger had stopped, and were now trapped outside the living room, because Avery and McNair had blocked the door.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked in a low growl.

"I said I don't think I'm free that day. It _is_ my birthday, after all. You know; party, presents, friends, alcohol, sex, and whatnot. And all you're offering is total submission to you. Thanks, but I think that will be nothing but fun." Tiger put his hand to his chin as if in deep thought. "Say, the day after…or, no, better make that two days after. We never know who I'll be with then, or how long we'll celebrate in the privacy of my room," he smirked, and twinkled seductively. "Then you can contact me, and I will see if I have time for your request."

"You foolish boy. What do you think you're doing, here?" Rodolphus Lestrange stepped up to them.

"Making dates for next year." Tiger answered calmly.

"Who are you, that you show so little respect to the Dark Lord?" Bellatrix joined her husband, and stared daggers at Tiger.

Tiger walked up to her, and when he noticed his whole body shiver, he started to circle the Dark Lord, so his rising fear wouldn't show. While he walked around, he looked in the faces of the remaining Death Eaters in the room, who were standing in a circle around himself and Voldemort. 'Oh, fuck. What have I gotten myself into now? I can't believe I'm doing this out of my own free will after all these years of having to face him unwillingly. Well, there will be time to berate myself later – I hope. Now I have to survive this one, and make the most of it I can, so that Draco will be safe for as long as possible.'

"To be honest," he began, looking at no one in particular, "I don't give a damn about your Lord." He ignored the angry murmurs, and went on. "I don't know much about him, but what I know," Now he was standing in front of Voldemort again, who had his wand pointed at him once again. He took a deep breath, and looked him deep in the eye. "is that I'm here because you want something from me. So I think I have every right to choose the time and place for our little arrangement. But what is in it for me? What do you offer?"

"What do you want?" They were silent for a while, staring at each other. Tiger still waited for the Dark Lord to make an offer, but it never came.

The next word Voldemort spoke was only whispered, but in Tiger's ear it sounded like a shout. "_Legilimens._"

The boy held his breath when he felt the dark wizard invade his mind, and search for anything that could betray him.

Careful not to show him too much, or make him suspicious that he was hiding something, Tiger introduced Voldemort to some of his memories and dreams. He let him see the incident where he kissed Snape and the Potions Master nearly hexed him, then when he had affronted Pansy at the beginning of the party, and at last a dream, an image of Tiger clad in skin-tight jeans and a seemingly too small t-shirt.

He blocked out all other thoughts and memories, and trapped Voldemort in this one for a bit longer.

A hand wandered up and down the boy's torso, trailing in small waves with one finger over his chest until he reached the waistband of Tiger's trousers. Slightly stroking the obvious bulge in his pants, a second hand emerged, holding a knife. The second hand copied the way its partner had gone moments before, the knife's point dangerously caressing the fabric of the t-shirt. When the knife stopped at the waistband, the t-shirt fell in two halves to both sides. Sweaty, well tanned, and unmarked skin was revealed.

Outside of his head, he could see the Dark Lord blushing, and he himself felt a heat engulfing his body.

The first hand repeated its previous pathway, while the second one started its way again, this time from Tiger's left foot, up.

It was only when both trouser legs were cut open, up until just under Tiger's cock, that Tiger opened the barrier, and allowed Voldemort to leave his fantasy.

With a gasp, he let his invader pull out of his mind, and sank to his knees. "Christ, what was that?" He looked up at Voldemort, and when he noticed a satisfied smiled on his face, he stood up and opened the first button of his shirt.

"Can you show me how to do that?" he asked in a heavy tone. "I have a friend I'd like to do that for."

"Now you know why I prefer muggle clothing. Can you imagine what I want at the moment?"

The Dark Lord looked away at the last statement, and turned towards the door.

"I will contact you on the 1st of August. I expect an answer by then." With that, he left the living room and Malfoy Manor, followed by his Death Eaters.

Tiger still stood where Voldemort had left him when Lucius entered the room, after everyone was gone.

"Follow me," he said simply, and turned back around to leave the living room again. Tiger obeyed, and walked after the elder Malfoy, Draco trailing behind. Lucius walked directly to the ancestor room to go back to Malfoy Castle.

"I don't know what has gotten into you, provoking the Dark Lord like that," Lucius roared, once they were back at the Castle. "He could have killed you!" He turned to Tiger and glared at him, before vanishing into the living room.

"He could have," Tiger retorted, walking after Lucius. "But he didn't," He stopped in the middle of the room, facing Lucius. "and for a good reason. You said it yourself; he wants to recruit me. So he won't do it until I give him reason."

"I thought your scene today was reason enough. How could you mock him like that, and live through it?"

"With a little help from a stupid rat..." Tiger began, smirking mischievously, but was cut off by Draco, who had positioned himself beside his father.

"But what would you have done if Wormtail hadn't intervened?"

"I don't know." Tiger just shrugged, and flung himself into one of the armchairs. "Maybe Voldemort wouldn't have reacted at all, and just continued his questions. After all, he hadn't been given an answer at all."

"What did you think by playing such a stupid game, Tiger?" Lucius bellowed. "How could you do something as stupid as this? What did you think you would achieve by that. Why-"

"Four days." Tiger interrupted in a low, still slightly panting voice.

"What?" The two Malfoys asked confused.

"I've earned us four day longer than our seventeenth birthday." He turned to Draco. "It's not much, but-"

"It's more than I would have ever achieved," Lucius said, thankfully. "It gives you enough time to prepare what you couldn't have before your birthday. I will teach you the theory of how to apparate once you come back next summer, and the day after your birthday, I want you to get your licence so you can escape, if need be."

"You could teach us now."

"No, I can't. The Ministry made up stronger wards for illegal and underage Apparation. There is no way to do it without getting caught, even in Malfoy Manor."

"Couldn't Dumbledore-"

"Sorry to disappoint you, Tiger, but even I can't evade Ministry laws." Said wizard walked up to the three and – after making sure Tiger and Draco were all right – examined Lucius' broken form.

"I was concerned when I didn't hear from you, so I came over." He looked Lucius up and down before he went to the fireplace, and threw a bit of Floo powder in it.

"Severus Snape," he said, and after a while the head of the Potions Master appeared in the fire.

"Albus? Is Lucius okay? Have you found him?"

"Yes, I have found him. As for the other question…" Dumbledore stepped to the side to allow Snape to overlook the whole room. His eyes felt instantly on Lucius, who was swaying slightly, and then collapsed, defeated, on the couch.

"I'll be right there." His head vanished, and a few minutes later Snape entered the living room, followed by a concerned looking Narcissa.

At once, Snape examined Lucius' injuries, beginning to heal a few, while he ordered Draco to get the medical first aid box which they had placed in every room for just these occasions.

Narcissa sat on the couch, Lucius' head cradled in her lap, and stroking his hair softly. "That is always my biggest fear, you know. Every time one of you leaves for a meeting I fear that you will return like this, or worse, never again."

Lucius smiled faintly. "You know we Malfoys are hard to break. Ah!" He grimaced when Severus healed his broken ribs, which hurt for the slightest moment, and then the pain was gone.

"Oh, yeah, I know." Narcissa captured a straying strand of hair, and put it back behind Lucius' ear. "But this shouldn't have happened. You shouldn't have taken the punishment for your generosity to a house a guest. It is his entire fault that you are laying here. If he hadn't caused this trouble, you wouldn't have gone through all this."

Tiger felt two eyes staring at him, but he didn't look up. He was still sitting in the armchair and looking down in his lap. He knew she was right. If it hadn't been for him, Lucius wouldn't be hurt.

"And Weasley and Granger would be nothing but soulless shells of themselves," Draco inserted; stating the inevitable consequences of Tiger's not doing something at the funeral.

Tiger looked up to see Draco glare at his mother, who looked a little lost that her son was against her.

"If Tiger hadn't reacted so fast, there could have been much more damage than me being tortured by Voldemort." Lucius said, backing up Draco's argument against Narcissa, which caused the two to break their eye contact and look at the injured man. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room.

"How do you feel, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked, to break the stillness. "Do you think you could tell us what, exactly, happened?"

"Drink this." Severus handed Lucius a potion from the magical first aid box before the blond could even open his mouth.

After drinking the potion and ordering tea from a house elf, Lucius began to explain what happened, beginning with Voldemort's rants about him being useless, and the first Cruciatus Curse thrown at him, up until the point he and Draco left the room just to find Tiger not being with them.

"I don't know what happened then, but in some way, Tiger has managed to win four more days until their initiation."

"How did you do that?" Snape asked disbelievingly.

"I just told him that I have other plans for my birthday. You know; party, alcohol, sex…" Here he gave Draco a seductive look, who blushed in his tea. "No submissiveness on that day."

Sputtering noises and coughing followed this statement.

"And you're still alive?" Narcissa asked, after handing Draco a napkin to clean himself from the tea.

"That wasn't why he did it." Snape didn't hide his scepticism.

"He did Legilimency, and I think he saw something which he hadn't expected."

"He didn't-" Draco began, but was cut of by Dumbledore before he could give their secret away.

"What did he see? I know Lucius has taught you how to close your mind, but obviously he could enter anyway."

"Of course he could. But that was necessary. If I had blocked my mind fully, he would have been suspicious. So I gave him some images to tell him what is on my mind most of the time."

"And that is?" Lucius asked.

"I can't say it." Tiger blushed slightly and turned away from the four pairs of staring eyes. "It's really private."

"You mean to tell us that you have gotten four more days because of some sexual fantasies?" Snape asked dully.

"Yes," Tiger answered proudly. "He blushed, and practically fled the room."

"You're really incredible," Lucius said.

"Suicidal is a better word, I think," Snape answered.

"I think it's brilliant." Dumbledore beamed at Tiger, and ignored everybody else.

"And I just want to know what this fantasy was about," Draco murmured, not knowing that Tiger had heard him.

Tiger excused himself and went to the library to work on his Potion reviews. When he passed Draco he stopped for a second, and whispered in his ear. "Maybe one day I'll show you." The blond went Weasley red and ducked his head in embarrassment, while Tiger left the room.

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	16. A Potion went wrong

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it! **

**Chapter 16 – A Potion went wrong**

Tiger had been in the library for two hours, brewing potions and rereading the fifth year's potion book (the very last in his review-marathon), when Professor Dumbledore came in to say goodbye and tell him that Lucius was up again.

"At the moment he is in the garden with Severus and Narcissa to get some fresh air. We've talked about your little show this morning at Malfoy Manor, and we think that no harm has been done."

"Not for us, at least," Tiger said with a smirk, thinking about Pettigrew and the mystified look on the Dark Lord's face.

"Well, I'll be leaving in a few minutes, as will Narcissa."

"What about Snape?"

"Professor Snape will stay overnight to make sure Voldemort's treatment had no lasting effects on Lucius. Narcissa will stay here too; she'll just go and fetch some things for her and Severus."

"Oh, joy."

"Promise me you won't give Professor Snape a reason to kill you or torture you so much that you wish the Dark Lord hadn't failed doing so himself."

"You mean no kissing and flirting?" Tiger asked in a disappointed voice, his lower lip trembling dramatically.

"Just try and stay alive, okay?" Dumbledore shook his head in resignation.

"Hey," Tiger beamed. "I'm the Boy Who… Died So He Can Live Under A false Name To Torment His Potions Master And To Make The Dark Lord Blush," he added joyfully.

Still shaking his head, but smiling nonetheless, Dumbledore left the room, and Tiger went back to his potion.

-------

Draco was lying on his bed, reading over his finished Transfiguration homework, and preventing Spike from biting at his naked feet, when there was a knock on his door.

"Come in." The door opened, and Tiger stepped into the room, two books pressed against his chest, and a treasonable look on his face.

"Do you have a minute?" he asked, coming closer to the bed.

"Of course. Sit down." Draco shoved his homework to the side, and sat up to make room for Tiger. Spike left Draco's feet alone in favour of being ruffled by Tiger. "Are these potion books?" Draco asked, indicating the books Tiger had brought.

"Yes. Our fifth year book, and a book I found in the library about all sorts of potion ingredients."

"I know this book." The blond took the second book and leafed through it. "Every ingredient is explained by name, look and function. The best book in the whole library."

"That's the problem."

"What?"

"Not every ingredient is in the book."

"Isn't it? I thought so. After all, it was written by Severus, and he should know every single ingredient there is. Or at least every one you would need for the potions in our school books."

"That brings me to my next question."

"Which is?"

"I've been working with your fifth year's Potion book, and I've found a few potions I didn't recognize from last year… And don't say something smooth like 'it doesn't surprise you' or something," he added before Draco could say anything. "I've looked through my book at least twice, and I can't remember those potions."

"You can't remember them because they weren't in your copy of the book."

"Why is that?"

"Severus provided me with a special exemplar with some advanced potions."

"So it is true. He favoured you above us."

"Of course he does. He is my godfather, after all. But don't think I haven't earned my good marks," Draco hurriedly added, when he saw Tiger's face darken.

"Prove it," Tiger dared, with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"How?" Draco countered, self-confident.

"What is Lactisotum?"

"Are you trying to make a cheering potion?"

"How do you know?"

"It is the only potion in the book with that particular ingredient. And since you've told me about working with my copy of the book, it's pretty obvious."

"So, what is it now?" Tiger asked, ignoring Draco's triumphant smirk.

"It is the most important ingredient for the cheering potion. It has to be used in the exact quantity and quality. It-"

"Draco!" Tiger exclaimed, unnerved.

"Okay, okay, don't get your knickers in a twist." The blonde's smirk grew when Tiger grimaced at him. "It's a special type of chocolate."

"That's all? Chocolate?" Tiger laughed in disbelief. "And I thought it was something really rare and expensive."

"But it is. Lactisotum is very expensive. There are only a few people who know how to produce it. That makes it special."

"Then I don't even have to start making the potion. Where should I get such a rare ingredient, if it isn't even remarked in this book?" He pointed at the book that explained every ingredient ever mentioned.

"Are you sure it isn't?" Draco smiled knowingly.

"Of course I am," Tiger insisted. "I've looked through it three times."

"I bet it is in there."

"Unless it isn't sorted under 'L', then you don't have to waste anything."

"I still want to bet."

"What about?"

"If the Lactisotum is mentioned in the book, you will have to do what I want. If it isn't, I'll be at your mercy." Tiger contemplated the bet for a moment, then he shook Draco's offered hand.

"I'm in."

"Good." Draco took the book and leafed through it for a moment before he stopped on one page with a triumphant smile. "Here." He shoved the book in Tiger's hand and pointed out name, look and function of the Lactisotum.

"That's not possible." Tiger exclaimed. "That wasn't there before. How…" He dropped the book in his lap and looked up at the blonde.

"Oh, I think I've forgotten to mention that the book automatically adds ingredients when you talk about them while holding the book."

"That's not fair! You've fouled me," Tiger exclaimed angrily. "I won't do what you want. The bet didn't count," he whispered, when he saw Draco's mischievous smirk.

"Yes it does." Draco smirked, and crawled on all fours over to Tiger, who backed away to the head of the bed. "And I am intent on redeeming the bet…" His head was mere inches away from a terrified Tiger. "Right now." Draco beamed and stood up from the bed. "Let's go make the cheering potion."

"What?" The dark haired boy asked, in disbelief.

"I will help you make the cheering potion."

"That's the redemption of the bet?"

"Of course. What did you think I would do to you?" Draco asked innocently.

"I hate you," Tiger responded, and shoved Draco to the side on his way to the door.

"No, you don't." The blonde grabbed Tiger's wrist, pulled him back, and crushed his lips to the other boy's. Tiger didn't react at first. He was so surprised that he couldn't even do anything when he felt his knees go weak. When he felt strong arms wrap around his waist to support him, Tiger gasped, which Draco took advantage of, and shoved his tongue into Tiger's mouth. After the initial shock, Tiger's arms sneaked around the blonde's neck and pulled him even closer, to deepen the kiss. When he felt Draco's hips against his, the dark haired boy pulled away and took a deep breath before he looked up at the blond.

"We can't do it," he said calmly.

"Why not?" Draco asked, confused.

"Because we need Lactisotum for the potion," Tiger stated matter-of-factly.

"What?"

"We can't do the cheering potion. We need Lactisotum for it." Tiger smirked inwardly when he saw Draco's face turning from confused to understanding, then to anger and frustration.

"Tiger Ryan: sometimes I really hate you." Draco glared at him angrily.

"No, you don't." Tiger smiled, and went to the door. He stopped when he passed Draco, leaning closer to him. "By the way; what knickers?" He went out of the room, leaving a very frustrated Draco behind.

-------

"I can't believe you've Lactisotum," Tiger repeated for the hundredth time since Draco had entered the library, and the two had started to make the cheering potion. "Is there anything you haven't?"

"There is a lot we don't have."

"Like what?"

"Blast Ended Screwts in our back yard, rats in the dungeon, mould in damp corners, a poltergeist that torments us at night..."

"Who needs all that?"

"No one. That's why we haven't any of them," he said, and added the last ingredient to the potion. "Just five more minutes, and we can try it."

"What exactly is its effect?"

"You'll be cheerful and forget everything that's on your mind for a while. You will feel a bit light-headed."

"Like with drugs?"

"No, it's totally harmless. You'll just relax and enjoy what happens around you. There will be nothing that can bother you."

"Then I think we should give Severus a drink, as well."

"I tried it once, and failed. He noticed something was wrong with his tea. He wanted to kill me afterwards. I had to fear for over week that he had poisoned something I ate or drank."

There was a moment's silence where both boys were lost in their own memories/fantasies about this particular event. After a while, a silent puff announced that the potion was ready.

"How much do we have to take?" Tiger asked, when he placed two cups on the table.

"A full cup each," Draco said, and poured the potion into the cups. He gave one to Tiger, and then they both drank their cheering potion.

-------

"I love the quiet of the estate. The ripple of the pool is really relaxing," Severus Snape said when he sat down on one of the sunbeds beside Lucius.

"Are you tired of Narcissa's babbling?" Lucius asked with a smirk, handing his friend a glass of lemonade.

"God, no. Of course not. I love her, and I would like to spend all day with her, every day for the rest of my life. No, it's just that in Snape Manor I can't relax, knowing that the Dark Lord knows exactly where I live."

"But you have all those wards."

"I know. And there is no way to pass them and enter my home alive, but still it's different, here."

"Sometimes I think it is too quiet," Lucius mused, sipping at his lemonade.

"What do you mean? Do you regret it, that Narcissa and I-"

"No. Don't think that, Severus." Lucius cut him off before he could even consider this thought. "I love Narcissa and I love you. You're my best friends; more than that. And I'm really happy that you two are happy together."

"But you want someone, too."

"Believe me, old friend, I can get enough-"

"Sex maybe, but love…"

"I once thought there was someone, but-" Lucius began, but two loud voices brought him out of his thoughts.

"No, you'll never catch me!"

"Oh, yes, I will!"

Tiger and Draco were running out of the house, passed the two men and down to the little forest a few hundred meters away. Draco was ten feet behind Tiger, and it didn't seem that he would catch him any time soon, when he stopped suddenly. "Hold on, wait," he shouted at Tiger, and limped after him.

Tiger turned around and ran back to him. "Draco, what happened?" he asked, concerned when he reached the blond.

"Nothing. I got you. It's your turn," Draco cried all in one breath, before he pushed Tiger away and ran off at full speed.

"You cheating ferret! I'll get you back for this!" And Tiger ran after him.

"What was that?" Lucius asked, a little shocked.

"Do you still think it is too quiet here?" Severus asked, with a smirk.

"Bugger off." The two stared at each other for a moment, then began to laugh like the two boys who were now rolling in the grass.

"What the hell is going on, here?" a confused voice said, interrupting them. The two men looked at the newcomer, then back at each other and laughed again. "Lucius, Severus, are you drunk?" Narcissa asked, concerned.

"Only with joy, my dear Narcissa," Lucius said, and kissed his wife on the cheek.

"And love, of course," Severus added, and gave her a real kiss.

Narcissa couldn't help but smile as well, until she heard shouting coming from the edge of the forest. She looked up and saw Tiger and her son playing like Muggle children, mock fighting with two long branches as if they were swords. "What has gotten into them?" She watched as the two vanished into the forest.

-------

Two hours later, the three adults heard the shouting again. This time, two muddy figures came running from the forest, stopping occasionally when one of them captured the other, and they fell together to the ground, before standing up and running again.

Severus had jumped up when he first spotted the two 'monsters', but when he heard them laughing he had relaxed somewhat, and had put his wand away.

"What happened to them?" Narcissa wondered.

"Either they're just having a lot of fun, or they had an overdose of cheering potion."

"It would seem they must have had a really big overdose."

"Either that, or…" Severus thought about it for a moment, then he nodded. "We will see."

"Boys!" he shouted.

Tiger and Draco stopped twenty meters away from the pool and the adults – a few feet away from where the tiled floor began - and looked at them. They tried to be serious, but couldn't stop giggling.

"Yes, Uncle Sevviiiiieeeee," Draco sing-songed, which caused them both to laugh out loud.

"Uncle Sevvie - that's great," Tiger laughed.

"May I call you that too?" He turned to Severus, and smiled.

"No."

"Please?" Tiger's eyes grew wide, and he stuck out his lower lip.

"No!" Severus said again.

"Pretty please?" Tiger's lower lip trembled, and his tone was whiny.

"Stop this nonsense and come over here," Severus growled, which caused Tiger to cry.

"Look what you have done," Draco exclaimed, and took Tiger in his arms. "I hate you, Severus. Why did you do that to him?"

"Oh, for god's sake, all right. Call me Uncle Sevvie for now."

"Cool. Thanks!" Tiger turned around and beamed, all tears gone.

"Would you be so kind as to come over here now?"

The two boys started to walk to the adults, but before they could reach the tiled floor, Narcissa stopped them.

"Don't you dare walk over these tiles like this. Go get cleaned, first."

The two boys looked at each other, and smirked. They counted silently 'til three, then ran and jumped, squealing, into the pool together.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" Narcissa squeaked when the spray came all over her. Severus glared down at Tiger, while Lucius had to hide a smile. The two boys swam to the other side of the pool and climbed out in front of the adults. Draco stepped up to Narcissa and looked at her with big, innocent eyes.

"Don't be mad at me, Mum. I just wanted to get cleaned for you. I didn't want to make you all wet. I'm sorry. Forgave me?" He had stuck out his lower lip at the end of his speech, looking at his mother like a small child.

"I know it wasn't your fault, Baby." Narcissa patted her son's arm and glared around him at Tiger, who shrank back at the sight, just to come face to face with Severus.

"Uncle Sevvie." He smiled. But his smile died down when the man's glare increased. Severus grabbed Tiger's chin in one hand, and looked him deep in the eyes.

"Like I thought; cheering potion overdose. Too much Lactisotum."

"What does that mean?" Narcissa asked worriedly.

Severus turned to her, at which time, Tiger took the opportunity to free himself from Severus' grip, and took a few steps away. He indicated for Draco to follow him, and the two boys left while Severus talked to Narcissa.

"Where are we going?" Draco whispered, when they entered the house.

"Someplace where the greasy git can't get us. He hurt me." Tiger rubbed his chin carefully.

Draco took Harry's hand away, and stroked his chin softly. "I'm sorry about that. Shall I make it better?" he asked, still stroking Tiger's face.

"How?" Tiger asked curiously.

"When I fall, my mum always kissed my injuries."

"Would you do that?" Tiger asked, biting on his lower lip.

Draco nodded, and leaned forward to place a feather light kiss to Tiger's chin. "Better?"

"Mm hmm." Tiger nodded shyly, before he turned around and continued walking.

"Where are we going now?"

"To your room."

"Why?"

"We can play with Spike."

"But he isn't there. He went out after us, I saw him."

"Then let's just play something else in your room."

"Why my room?"

"I like it. It's a part of you. And I like you, too." Tiger lowered his head, avoiding Draco's eyes.

"Really?" The blonde asked curiously. Tiger just nodded, and went on. They reached Draco's room and closed the door softly behind them to not alert anyone. "So, what should we do now?"

"I'd like to jump on your bed. It's so big; it invites me to do it." Tiger ran up to the bed, but before he could reach it, Draco grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"What?" Tiger asked, confused.

"You'll make it all wet and dirty. Mum won't be pleased."

"That's not my problem. I don't like your mum." Tiger pulled his hand free, and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Why shouldn't you like her? She is the best mum I could imagine."

"She is not." Tiger turned around and glared at Draco. "Mrs Weasley is the best mum there is."

"Maybe," Draco answered, not dealing with Tiger's daring tone. "But I love my mum, and she loves me too. She does everything for me. She's the best."

"But she's mean to me. She hates me." Tiger turned his back to Draco and lowered his head. "I've never had a mum, and yours doesn't like me." He sobbed silently, and tears started to fall down his cheek.

"She doesn't know you that well." Draco tried to soothe him, and put an arm around his shoulder. "I'm sure if you get to know each other, she'll love you as much as she loves me."

"Are you sure?" Tiger asked through tear-filled eyes.

"Yes, I am." Draco nodded and walked Tiger to the bed, where the two sat down.

"But the bed will get all dirty and wet." Tiger tried to stand up again, but Draco held him down.

"It's okay. The house-elves will wash the sheets. Just lay down for a while, okay? I'm pretty tired after all that running," Draco said, and released Tiger to crawl to the middle of the bed.

"Me too," Tiger answered, and crawled after Draco. The two boys lay down together, Tiger's head resting on Draco's chest, and the blonde's arms wrapped tightly around the other's.

-------

"Shouldn't we wake them?" Narcissa asked worriedly. "The boy is suffocating Draco with his weight."

"They're fine, Narcissa. You don't have to worry about them."

"I'm not worried about them, I'm worried about Draco. Before that boy arrived, my son was perfectly fine. And now? Look what he's done to him." Narcissa pointed to the two sleeping boys on Draco's bed.

"What has Tiger done to him?" Lucius asked, a bit angrily.

"First, he made fun of him on Draco's birthday."

"He didn't do any such thing."

"Then he put my son in danger, by mocking the Dark Lord," Narcissa continued without considering what Lucius said.

"If there is someone to blame for Draco's connection to Voldemort, it is me," Lucius countered again.

"And just now he made him drink a wrongly mixed potion and made him act like a…a…"

"A child?" Lucius retorted.

"A naughty little prat," Narcissa ended, and glared at Lucius who glared right back.

"That's enough." Severus interrupted their glaring contest after a few minutes, in which he had checked on the two boys. "They're fine, just sleeping."

"But-"

"No buts, Narcissa. They will sleep till tomorrow, and then we will talk to them and look after their hangovers."

"Hangover?"

"An overdose always ends with a hangover."

"You mean my poor baby will have a headache tomorrow?"

"Your poor baby should have known better than to add more than the required amount of Lactisotum. Now, let's go." With one last look at the boys, the three adults left Draco's room, and went to bed themselves.

-------

Tiger slowly opened his eyes, and closed them again, groaning at the light that filled the room.

"God, I'm dying."

"No, you're not," a greasy voice said.

"At least not now," a second, more cheerful voice added. Tiger opened his eyes slowly, and the faces of Snape and Lucius came into focus. "What happened?"

"What do you remember?" Snape asked softly – as soft as Snape could ask, anyway – and handed him a goblet with a steaming potion.

"Ergh." Tiger took the potion and sniffed. "Hangover potion?"

"You took it before?"

"I made it yesterday as I worked through the fifth year book."

"But it isn't in the fifth year book."

"In Draco's, it is."

"Ah, I understand. Then that's where you found the recipe for the cheering potion. Did you add the Lactisotum?" Tiger just nodded, and drank the potion. He felt it work through his body until it settled in his stomach, where it rummaged a while longer. Suddenly Tiger felt very sick, and he jumped from the bed and ran for the bathroom.

The moment he reached the bathroom, the door opened, and a pale Draco emerged, supported by his mother, who glared at Tiger when he passed them.

Five minutes later Tiger came back, feeling a lot better. He went over to the bed and wanted to lie back down, but one look from Narcissa stopped him. She was tugging her son under the sheets, and stroked his hair out of his face.

"Rest now, Draco. I will bring you some soup, later."

"Thanks mum," Draco answered sleepily. Once he had said that, his eyes closed, and he fell asleep.

Narcissa glared once again at Tiger, before she turned to Lucius and Severus. The two men hadn't noticed Tiger, and were deep in conversation.

"Obviously they both added the same amount of Lactisotum, which means the potion had double the quantity of chocolate in it. They must feel really hung-over."

"Can't you do anything about it, Severus? Draco is really weak."

"I've given him the hangover potion, and that's all I can do. I mixed a somewhat stronger recipe, and that's why they got sick. They lost all their pain in one go."

"But look at him." Narcissa pointed to Draco. "He slept all night, and he's still tired."

"That's totally normal. He will sleep until he feels perfectly fine. Hasn't Tiger left the bathroom yet? Hopefully he hasn't fallen asleep with his head down the toilette." Severus smiled sarcastically.

"Ergh, Severus, you're evil," Lucius said, but smiled none the less. "I'll look after him."

He went to the bathroom, and knocked. "Tiger?" When he got no answer, he peeked inside.

He turned back to Severus with a confused look. "He isn't there."

"Then he must have left while we were talking," Narcissa said uncaringly, watching her son sleep.

"I'll search for him." Lucius left the room in search of his young protégé.

-------

Tiger had left the room when Narcissa had turned to talk to the men. He was wandering the corridors of Malfoy Castle aimlessly. He had passed his room five minutes ago, and was now on his way down the stairs. When he passed the library, he decided to enter and look up what had been wrong with their potion. He took Draco's potions book and searched for some others which contained the cheering potion – which was only one – and settled down in his favourite armchair. He leafed trough the two books until he found the cheering potion in both of them, and began to read.

After only a few sentences, he felt it extremely difficult for his eyes to stay open. He wanted to know what had caused all this trouble. He wanted to know if they had done something wrong, or if the potion's effect was always this intense…

"Tiger? Tiger, wake up."

Tiger slowly opened his eyes, and stared into the silver blue ones that belonged to Lucius.

"Did I fall asleep?"

"Yes, you did." Lucius smiled at him, and put a hand under his arm to help him stand up. "Come on. Let's get you back to Draco's room so you two can sleep through the aftermath of your cheering potion experience."

"What went wrong?" Tiger asked, while Lucius led him up the stairs.

"You added too much Lactisotum."

"But I read the recipe twice. I knew how much to add."

"As does Draco."

"What?"

"You both added the required amount. That caused the effect you've lived through."

"I didn't see him put it in, so I thought he hadn't done it. I'm sorry. The Lactisotum is really expensive; nothing to waste with such a mistake. I will-"

"You will do nothing, now, but go to bed."

They reached Tiger's room, and the boy stopped. "Come on, Tiger, you can sleep in Draco's room."

"No." Tiger shook his head. "I want to be alone for awhile."

"Are you all right?" Lucius examined the boy, and noticed something was missing in his eyes. He couldn't quite say what it was, but something wasn't right.

"I'm fine." Tiger said, and entered his room. Lucius followed him and watched as the boy fell face first into the bed. He didn't look like he was going to turn over so Lucius approached him, and rolled him carefully onto his back. Tiger had closed his eyes, but the blond could still see the tears that tried to escape. He stroked his cheek softly until the boy opened his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Tiger didn't answer, and turned his face away. But Lucius wouldn't let it go so easily. He put a finger on Tiger's cheek, and turned his face back to him. "Did something happen yesterday?"

Tiger shook his head.

"This morning?"

Tiger didn't react, so Lucius continued. "When you felt ill?"

The boy shook his head again.

"Afterwards?"

Again there was no answer.

"Did I say something to hurt you?"

A shake.

"Did Severus?"

Another shake.

"Narcissa?"

No reaction.

"Narcissa it is, then." Lucius sat down on the bed beside Tiger, and looked at the boy. "She didn't want you to stay?"

"She hates me," Tiger whispered.

"She doesn't hate you."

"But she doesn't want me near her son."

"That's a totally normal reaction."

"Sorry, but I have no idea what a normal family is like. I didn't know that a mother wouldn't like for her son to be happy."

"She doesn't want him to get hurt."

"But I wouldn't hurt him."

"I know that, but Narcissa-"

"She doesn't even know me."

"That's the point; she didn't know you. That's why she is so reserved against you."

"But if she continues in this way, she will never get to know me, and Draco and I will never…" Tiger trailed off, realising what he had just said.

"I will talk to her, I promise. Sleep now. Call me if you need anything." One last stroke through Tiger's hair, and Lucius stood up and left the room.

"Lucius?" Tiger called out before the elder Malfoy left the room. He waited until Lucius had turned to him, and smiled. "Thank you."

"Sleep." Lucius said with a smile, and left the room.

-------

"We need to talk." Lucius entered his son's room, and glared at his wife.

"Ssh... You'll wake him up."

"Then let's go in the corridor."

"No, I won't leave him."

"Then we will talk here, and now."

"Then talk. But be quiet."

"I'll wait outside." Severus stood up from the chair he had been sitting in, and went to the door. When the door closed behind Severus, Lucius turned back to Narcissa.

"What have you said to Tiger?"

"Nothing. What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that the boy is a total wreck because of something that might have happened earlier today, which involved you. I demand an answer, Narcissa." Lucius grabbed her arm roughly, so that she had to look up at him.

"I may be your wife on paper," Narcissa said, pulling her arm away and taking a step back, "but you have no right to treat me like that."

"I have every right to treat you like I want to when you act like a jealous mother hen. Draco is old enough to decide what he wants to do with his life, and whom he wants to be with."

"But this boy is-"

"Is what?"

"He will hurt him. I know he will."

"You can't know that. Tiger is a very nice boy. He might seem a bit rebellious, but he is caring, and he will be good for our son; if not as a boyfriend, then as a friend. Why can't you accept him?"

There was a moment's silence, in which both of them calmed down. Narcissa sat down on the bed, and stroked a strand of hair out of Draco's face.

"I don't want to lose my baby," she whispered softly.

"You won't lose him." Lucius stepped closer to her, and stroked her head soothingly. "He will always be your little boy; even when you're 150, and he's 129." Lucius smiled.

"Lucius Malfoy, don't you dare make fun of me." Narcissa swatted his hand playfully away. "But I think you are right." She leaned against him, and the two of them watched their son sleep. Lucius had wrapped his arms around his wife, and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"They will be good for each other," Lucius said softly.

"I know."

-------

It wasn't until lunch that Tiger awoke the next time, and felt great. His headache was gone, and for the time being, his only worry was the foul taste in his mouth, and the sticky feeling of dried mud all over his body. So the first thing he did when he was fully awake was to take a shower and brush his teeth properly.

Half an hour later, he felt fresh again. He put on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, and left his room to get something to eat.

When he closed the door behind him, he noticed that the door to Draco's room was ajar. Slowly he walked up to the room and peeked into it. He smiled mischievously when he saw Draco, clad only in black trousers, rummaging through his cupboard.

He inspected the blonde's slightly muscular back when said boy put on a shirt, and his smile grew into a smirk as he took another step forward. But the moment Tiger decided to enter the room, he heard someone speak to Draco.

"You're right; I really don't know him that well." It was Narcissa. Tiger took a step back, but stayed to hear what she said. "And it isn't my decision whether you want to be with him or not."

'Want to be with whom?' Tiger thought curiously.

"But I am still your mother, and I don't want to see you hurt."

"He won't hurt me, mum." Draco wandered away from the cupboard to where, Tiger assumed, his mother was. "I really like him, you know."

'Are they talking about me?'

"But he has a bad influence on you, Draco."

"He made me be polite to the Weasleys," Draco countered.

'They really are talking about me'

"He makes you do what he wants."

"That's not true." Draco's tone became a bit angry. "He just knows how to bring out a side of me I hadn't known about."

Tiger could hear the smile in Draco's voice at that statement. There was a moment's silence before Draco spoke again. This time, it was a bit pleadingly. "Mum, why can't you just be happy for me?"

Another silence fell over them, before Narcissa answered in a calm tone.

"What if you lose him?"

"We aren't even together yet, Mum. Why should I think about losing him?"

"He will be an ally to the Dark Lord."

"He's just pretending, Mum; like me, like Dad, like Severus, like you. He isn't a follower of Voldemort."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know him. Believe me, Mum, I know where his loyalties lay."

"Even if you're right, that still doesn't guarantee that he will stay with you."

"Mum!"

"On the contrary," Narcissa went on, ignoring her son's whining tone, "if the Dark Lord finds out about him, he will kill him without a second thought. Are you ready to risk that?"

There was silence again, and Tiger had to swallow hard. 'Is that why she doesn't want us to be close?' Tiger thought, and Draco obviously had the same reflection.

"Is that the reason why you scare him away all the time? You don't want me to lose a loved one to the war? Is that why you set up Pansy with that boy from Durmstrang in our forth year so that she lost her virginity and broke our marriage contract? Because you knew I liked her back then, but feared that I might lose her once Voldemort was back?" Draco's voice was understanding. Tiger could literally see him kneeling in front of his mother, and holding her hands.

"I'm sorry, baby. Back then, I thought it might be in your best interests. I just couldn't imagine you spending the rest of your life with her."

"But it was your idea."

"That was when you were both babies. Now I know what a bitch Pansy is. I hope you can forgive me for interfering in your love life."

"I could forgive you." Draco began, a hint of mischief in his voice, "if you promise to not do it ever again, and to give Tiger a chance. Please Mum; just try to get to know him. You'll see he is a really nice guy. He is caring, and gentle, he is intelligent, and really sexy."

"Draco!" Narcissa exclaimed.

"His voice bewitches you with every word, and his hands are softer than soft."

"I think I get it," Narcissa laughed, but Draco went on.

"And his eyes... Oh, those eyes. They are full of secrets and mischief, but when you know how to read them, they tell you everything you want to know about him. I could drown myself in them."

Tiger felt his face warm up. He smiled to himself, turned around, and left down the corridor. He never heard Draco's last words.

"I think I'm falling in love with him."

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	17. The Bet

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 17 – The Bet **

The days until their departure to Hogwarts were uneventful, and September first drew nearer.

After Severus had left for Hogwarts, three days ago, Narcissa had stayed with them to spend a few more days with her beloved son. In those three days, she and Tiger had somewhat warmed up to each other and she had accepted him as 'whatever he is to Draco'.

They had a heart-to-heart conversation the day before the boys left for Hogwarts, and Narcissa had apologized for everything she had said about and to Tiger. She had asked him to write her once he was at school so that she could get to know him better. And she was looking forward to the days she'd spend with Severus at Hogwarts, where she hoped she could spend some time with Draco and Tiger, as well. When Tiger had given her a confused look, she'd smiled and explained.

"Did you really think Severus and I would see each other only on Christmas and summer break?"

"Well, I've never thought about a teacher's private life." 'Especially not Snape's', he nearly added, but stopped himself in time.

"Oh, I think I wouldn't want to do that either." Narcissa smiled. "The thought of-"

"Please, no; stop, Mrs. Malfoy," Tiger interrupted frantically. "Just the thought of Professor Snape kissing someone… someone other than me, that is" he added with a mischievous smirk.

"You know, that was quite a show, actually." Narcissa smiled at him. Tiger couldn't help but smile back.

"Well, you know, it just was too tempting. He was looking so horror-stricken just when he saw Draco and I…" Tiger trailed off when he realized what he was about to say. "Oh. I mean, I, eh, Draco and… Oh, bugger." He buried his head in his hands, and wished for the ground to swallow him, or for Voldemort to perform Avada Kedavra on him – whichever was the faster death. A suppressed giggle brought him out of his suicidal thoughts. When he looked up, he found Narcissa, face red, and tears of mirth running down her cheek, giggling madly behind her hands.

"Sorry," she apologized, regaining her composure, and smiling at Tiger merrily. "It's just that… Well, you are so bold to kiss a total stranger and provoke him afterwards," Tiger grew redder and redder with every word Narcissa spoke, "and you flirt with Draco openly on every possible opportunity, but you can't stand to talk about kissing your boyfriend with his mother."

At that last comment, all blood left Tiger's face, and he stared at Narcissa, shocked.

When Narcissa saw the look on his face, she smiled at him reassuringly. "Don't worry, Tiger. I know you aren't boyfriends." The word 'yet' hung unspoken between them. "It's just the easiest way to express it." Tiger let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding, which caused Narcissa to laugh again. "You're really an incredible young man," she said, once she'd calmed down.

"Thank you." Tiger smiled a bit uneasy. There was a moment of silence in which Tiger debated with himself whether he should ask the question which was on his mind. In the end, he just blurted it out. "I've never imagined you so…" he trailed off, losing his bravery when he saw Narcissa's expectant expression.

"Straight-forward?" she presented.

"'Blunt' was what I had in mind. But yes, I think that's what you could call it."

"I'm sure you thought I must be some stuck-up, well-bred 'lady'."

"Something like that, yes."

"Well, I was raised to be the perfect little lady, wife to a respected rich pureblood, and all. But I still had fun in my life." At Tiger's questioning look, she continued. "Before I went to Hogwarts, my cousin Sirius and I…"

Tiger paled at the mention of his late godfather, but Narcissa didn't notice.

"…spent every free second together, and rummaged through the forest of my parents' estate, or pulled pranks on anyone who dared to near us. When we got caught it was always him who was punished, because a 'little lady' would never do something like smuggling snakes into dear Aunt Blacky's bed: oh, Sirius' mother hated it when I called her that," she remembered with a smile, "or steal grandfather's wand to transfigure every single toy of cousin Regulus' into white mice."

Tiger couldn't help but laugh out loud. He hadn't known that Sirius and Narcissa had been good friends, once. He'd always thought Andromeda was his godfather's favourite cousin. He concentrated on Narcissa again.

"It broke my heart when I had to stop being around him when he came to Hogwarts, when I became a second year."

At Tiger's unspoken question about why they had to stop seeing each other Narcissa explained

"He was sorted into Gryffindor, which was like betraying our family. The Black family is Slytherin. That's the way it has been ever since the Black family started going to Hogwarts. Sirius is the 'black sheep' of the Black family." Narcissa chuckled at her own joke, but she wasn't really amused. "I missed him dearly. We had been so close, and then it all stopped with one single word."

'Gryffindor,' Tiger thought.

But he was corrected when Narcissa said "Slytherin. I've never belonged in Slytherin. It was horrible. I had no friends in my year - just a few in the years below. But then in my fifth year, I was introduced to Lucius, a sixth year, and was told to marry him. I wasn't shocked about the arrangement. I knew my parents were looking for a husband for me, and Lucius was a really nice guy."

"But you didn't love him," Harry guessed.

"We went out a few times during my sixth year, and at the beginning of my seventh, when he was at home from his 'secret missions'. Later, I found out he was working for Voldemort. But we both felt that there wasn't more than friendship between us. Then during the Christmas break in my seventh year, I confessed to him that I was in love with Severus. I knew Lucius didn't love me, but I feared that he would prevent my being with Severus. But all Lucius did was kiss me on the cheek, and congratulate me for my luck. Later I learned that he hadn't had that much luck in his love life. His partner for over two years had left him when our marriage plans were published."

"Why didn't he explain that-"

"He tried, but didn't succeed. After all, in public we were the happiest couple. His partner wouldn't, or couldn't, believe him. He couldn't understand why Lucius would go through all that."

"You did it because you had to produce an heir."

"Yes. We married after my graduation, and I've lived with Lucius ever since. Severus moved in with us after he had a fight with his parents, because he didn't want to marry the girl his parents had picked for him. Lucius talked him into following Voldemort, because he thought it was a good thing."

They never heard the door to the room open, or see two blond figures enter.

"Lucius told me his reasons for why he'd joined the Dark Lord, and why he stayed with him afterwards," Tiger explained, when he saw how hard it was for Narcissa to speak about it. Thankfully Narcissa dropped the subject, and went on.

"Anyway, officially Lucius and I are married, of course, and nobody knows about our little arrangement. It took us three years to tell Lucius' father the truth. After I got pregnant, we told him that I was in a relationship with Severus. He only wanted to know whether my baby was Lucius', and when we told him that yes, it was his grandson or –daughter in my belly, he accepted the situation."

"He must have been a really great man."

"That he was."

They both turned around, and found Lucius and Draco approaching them. Lucius looked at his wife questioningly, and when he got a smile and a nod in return, he sat down beside her and laid an arm around her. Draco went up to Tiger and sat close beside him, but not really touching.

"You were talking about how we told my father about Severus?" Lucius asked his wife.

"I told Tiger how we arranged our lives after my graduation and our marriage." Narcissa smiled. "Would you like to hear more?" she asked Tiger.

"Please, Mrs, Malfoy."

"Call me Narcissa, dear."

"Please…Narcissa, tell me about Draco's youth. I saw the portrait of you three in the ancestor room; he seemed to be a really lively boy."

"Mum, no, please," Draco begged, but his mother just smiled and began her tale.

"Oh, he was unbearable, sometimes. There wasn't a passing day when he hadn't managed to discover a new secret passage in the manor, or a way to torment his nannies. But I just couldn't be angry with him. His big silver-blue eyes and his pouting lips were my undoing," she said, going into raptures, which caused Draco to bury his head in his hands.

"Mum, stop it," came his muffled protest.

"Oh, isn't he cute?" Tiger ruffled trough Draco's hair and smiled at the boy's parents. "I bet he was your 'little dragon'?" Tiger asked, with a mischievous smirk.

"Actually he was-"

"No, Dad, don't do that to me, please." Draco's head had snapped up immediately after Tiger's question, and he was now pleading with his parents to stop talking about him.

"He was our little prince," Narcissa finished, adopting her own Malfoy smirk, which wasn't all that threatening as compared Lucius' and Draco's, or even Tiger's.

"Oh, god, kill me. Please kill me right now." Draco's head fell back into his hands.

"Isn't he sweet?" Tiger laughed, while he stroked Draco's hair. "Little prince, eh?" he whispered in the blonde's ear.

"Bugger off," Draco responded trough his hands, which got Tiger into another fit of laugher.

"I don't think little princes are allowed to swear, young man," he scolded the blond.

Draco raised his head and glared at Tiger. "Don't you dare talk to anyone about this."

"Don't worry, Prince." Tiger smiled, when Draco flinched at the nickname. The black-haired boy leaned closer to the blond and whispered. "I just wanted to know whether you have any childhood related memories when I call you 'my Dragon'." Tiger's smile grew in a smirk when Draco blushed at this comment.

"Oh, god, I hate you," Draco cried out, and buried his face against Tiger's chest. Tiger just smiled, and put his arm around the blond to pull him closer. He lowered his head and whispered once again.

"No, you don't. And if your parents weren't watching us from the other couch, I would prove to you just how much you don't hate me."

A groan was Draco's only answer.

Tiger looked over to Lucius and Narcissa, who were smiling at him and their son. He remembered his previous conversation with Narcissa about whether he and Draco were boyfriends, and blushed slightly. He gave the two elder Malfoys a weak smile and buried his head in the crook of Draco's neck, when he heard them laughing mercilessly.

The rest of the evening was spent with some more stories from Lucius and Narcissa, and some more embarrassing moments for both boys; especially when Lucius stated that the couch was big enough, and the two needn't share the little space where they were sitting. And then some time later, after they had lain down in each other's arms, he had said, "You know, that wasn't what I meant when I said you could use the whole couch."

-------

The next morning at platform 9 ¾, Narcissa held Tiger back for a minute to talk to him once more. She apologized once more for her behaviour, and thanked him for their conversation the day before. She even gave him a kiss on the cheek, and said, "Promise to take care of my little prince," when she said goodbye.

Now Tiger was sitting in a compartment on his own, still caressing his cheek where Narcissa had kissed him. 'She trusts me' he mused.

"What is such a lovely creature doing here all alone?" An Irish voice brought him out of his thoughts. Tiger looked up and smiled, when he recognized the newcomers.

"Hi! I'm Tiger Ryan. You're Seamus Finnigan, right? And you must be Dean Thomas?" Dean and Seamus looked at each other, and then looked back at Tiger.

"That's right," Seamus answered, and sat across from him. "How do you know?"

"You were at Harry Potter's funeral. Ron and Hermione pointed you out to me."

"Then you must be the one who saved them from the Dementors?" Dean asked, and sat beside his best friend.

"Yeah, that's me," Tiger answered, somewhat apprehensive. He remembered the consequences that had for Lucius.

"You haven't answered my question." Seamus brought him back again, smiling curiously. "Why are you on your own? You said you know Ron and Hermione. Why aren't you sitting with them?"

"They're at the prefect's meeting, as is Draco, whom I'm waiting for."

"Malfoy?" The two boys exclaimed as one.

"Yes, of course. Draco Malfoy. Or is there another student with that name? I thought it was pretty rare," Tiger said, trying to lighten the mood.

"He's the only one; but why would you want to be with him, when you're friends with Ron and Hermione?"

"Does the one exclude itself from the other?" he asked, naively.

"Yes, of course."

"Why?"

"For one thing, he's a Slytherin, and we're Gryffindors."

"We're in the same house as Ron and Hermione, you should know," Dean explained.

"Then there is the fact that they have hated each other since day one, because Harry made friends with Ron, and not with Malfoy. And last but not least, he's a junior Death Eater."

"Are we telling fairytales again, Finnigan?"

Tiger smirked inwardly when he heard the familiar voice of Draco approach. He turned around to be faced with not only Draco, but also Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. He smiled brightly when he saw them all.

"Hermione, Ginny, Ron, nice to see you."

The three smiled at him, and entered the compartment to sit beside Seamus and Dean – Hermione on Ron's lap, and Ginny on Dean's, which didn't suit her brother at all.

"Boys, you've met Tiger Ryan?"

"Yeah," Seamus growled, not looking away from Draco. "He's a friend of Malfoy's."

"You must have a really bad reputation when no friend of yours would be accepted," Tiger joked, standing up and taking the few steps to stand beside Draco.

"What can I say?" Draco smiled at Tiger. "I have had to hold my nose high, to live up to my characterization as a junior Death Eater. Let's go find an empty compartment, where I can corrupt your innocent little heart."

"Is that a promise?" He smiled and followed Draco out of the compartment. At the door, he turned around again, and winked at Hermione and Ron. "See you at school," he said, as he closed the door and followed after Draco.

"Did Draco Malfoy just make a joke?" Seamus looked dumbstruck at the closed door, and Dean just nodded in disbelief.

"There is more to Draco Malfoy than we all know," Hermione said in her teacher's voice. "Maybe Tiger was a good influence on him."

-------

Tiger and Draco found an empty compartment at the very end of the train, after they'd stopped twice at other compartments; first at Blaise and the other sixth year Slytherin's, and then at a compartment full of first years, including Castor and Pollux Malfoy, Draco's twin cousins.

Now they were both lying on the seats and reading in some books. They enjoyed the train ride and the calm, but after a few hours of silence, Draco got bored, and sat up to look at Tiger, who was lying across from him.

"Let's do something; I'm bored," he whined.

"Go read a book, or torment the first years, but let me read this book," Tiger answered, without looking up from his book.

"You can read it whenever you want."

"That's why I'm reading it now."

"Oh come on; let's talk about something. Please?" His whining changed to wailing and his lower lip trembled heartrendingly.

"No," Tiger replied, still not looking at the blonde. But he had to fight to not smirk mischievously.

"Tiger, please?" Draco stood up from his seat and sat down beside Tiger, grabbing his book and pulling it down so that the other boy had to look at him. "Pretty please?"

"You know that this isn't fair: you're just too adorable to ignore." Tiger closed his eyes and sat up, shoving a beaming Draco off the seat.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"For beating me at my own game." He held out a hand and pulled Draco back up beside him. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know." Draco thought for a moment, then looked back at Tiger. "What House do you think you will be in?"

"I don't know what House the Sorting Hat will put me in."

"But what would you like to be put in - back to the Gryffindorks?"

"Don't say that."

"Sorry. So?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Ron and Hermione are there, after all." Tiger watched as Draco's smile subsided. He smirked inwardly, and went on. "Or maybe into Huffelpuff. I've found that their loyalty is really great. But Ravenclaw is more likely. After all, all the books I'm reading lately, and all." By now Draco had turned away from Draco and looked down at his lap. "What's wrong, Draco?" Tiger asked naively.

"Nothing. Go on. What about Slythierin?" he asked, without looking up.

"I don't think so." Draco's head snapped up at that comment but he lowered it again when Tiger continued. "I can't think about anything that connects me to Slytherin." That was too much. Draco stood up and turned to the door.

"I have to go for a walk. My legs are totally stiff."

Draco had his left hand at the doorknob, when Tiger grabbed his right wrist and pulled him around so that they were standing face to face. But Draco didn't look up at him. Only when Tiger put a finger under his chin and softly pushed his head up did he look at him. His eyes were a bit glassy.

"Do you really think I want to be anywhere but where you are?" Tiger asked softly, stroking Draco's cheek with a thumb. "Even if I hadn't promised your mother to take care of her little prince," Draco groaned at that comment, "I would still want to be with you." He paused and smiled at Draco, who smiled back. When the blond opened his mouth to reply, Tiger went on. "Anyway, who would influence you with kindness if I weren't around you?" Now he smirked again, and Draco scowled.

"Don't do that," Draco said, and put a finger over the other's mouth.

"Make me," Tiger mouthed against his finger, and his smirk grew.

Draco didn't wait to think about what he was doing, and took his finger away to replace it with his lips. He still felt Tiger smirking against his lips so he wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer to deepen the kiss.

Startled, Tiger gasped, and now it was Draco's turn to smirk against Tiger's lips. But the dark haired boy didn't mind at all. He put his arms around the blonde's shoulder and caressed his neck tenderly with his thumbs. Tiger parted his lips slightly, and licked his tongue softly over Draco's lips, begging for entrance – which the blond granted immediately.

"Do you know how sexy you two look when you're doing that?"

The two boys sprang apart, and turned around to find Blaise Zabini standing in the compartment door, already clothed in his school uniform. Tiger blushed and ducked behind Draco, who glared at Blaise.

"What are you doing here, Zabini?" He demanded to know, his tone really angry.

"I just wanted to say that we're nearly there. You two should get changed in your uniforms."

"Thanks… not." Draco said, and rummaged in his bag for his uniform. He put it over his Muggle clothes, and sat back down on the seat, Blaise beside him. Tiger sat opposite of them, but he hadn't changed.

"Should we leave so that you can get changed?" Blaise asked, irritated.

"No. I won't wear my robes tonight."

"What?" They both exclaimed at once.

"I said I won't-"

"We heard what you said," Draco interrupted him.

"But why?" Blaise asked.

„Because I like my Muggle clothes better than robes. I like it when they cling to my body, and everyone can see it," Tiger replied. Absentmindedly, his hand wandered up and down his chest.

"Stop it this instant, Tiger," Draco exclaimed, and put a hand over Blaise' eyes, who had been following Tiger's every move with his gaze.

"Can you do that again?" Blaise asked after he had freed himself from Draco. But when he saw Draco glaring at him, he backed off. "Never mind."

"Tiger, you can't wear Muggle clothes at Hogwarts. Not at the Welcoming Feast, at least. On weekends you might do it, but in classes and at official meals we have to wear our uniform. That's the dress code at Hogwarts."

"I'll just say I didn't know," Tiger said, uninterested.

"Tiger, you'll get into trouble," Blaise tried to explain.

"I'll explain to them why I don't want to wear my robes. I think they will understand."

"Sev will kill you." Draco said.

"He might try, but he won't succeed." Tiger smiled.

"You can't be serious." Blaise gasped.

"Don't you have any faith in me, Draco?" Tiger's voice quivered and his eyes filled with tears. He sat down beside Draco and looked him deep in the eyes.

"Don't play this game with me, Tiger Ryan." Draco stood up, and sat opposite of the other two.

"Who wants to play a game?" Tiger asked naively, standing up and sitting beside Draco once again.

"You, obviously." Draco, too, stood up again, and sat back down in his previous seat. "The game 'how to get myself detention on my very first day at Hogwarts.' They'll make you wear the robes."

"Then I will wear Muggle clothes the next day again."

Their game continued. With every new comment, they switched seats. Blaise watched them, fascinated.

"And they will punish you again."

"Let's see who has more patience."

"I'll bet you won't last a week."

"You'll bet?" Tiger asked curiously, halting on his way to sit beside Draco.

"I'll bet," Draco answered, standing up and facing Tiger. He didn't miss the mischievous glint in Tiger's eyes.

"What are the conditions?" Blaise asked all of a sudden, and the two boys look at him as if they'd just noticed he was still there. "What?" he asked innocently. "Someone has to supervise your bet." He took a piece of parchment out of his pocket, and tipped his wand to it once. "So, what are the conditions?"

Tiger and Draco looked at each other, then the blond spoke, never breaking eye-contact with the other boy.

"I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, bet that Tiger Emerald Ryan won't last a week on his rebellious trip where he insists on wearing Muggle clothes at Hogwarts between classes, at meals and any other official gathering where uniforms are required." Every spoken word appeared on the parchment Blaise was holding, as if written with an invisible quill. When Draco didn't continue, Tiger spoke.

"I, Tiger Emerald Ryan, accept the bet, but to make it more interesting, I insist on prolonging the deadline until Halloween Eve." Again, every word appeared on the parchment. When Tiger stopped, Draco spoke again.

"I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, accept the change of date."

Now it was Blaise' turn, as he sealed the bet. "I, Blaise Sebastian Zabini, will supervise the bet and its outcome, and will look after keeping the conditions, which are:"

There was a moment of silence in which both Tiger and Draco thought about a possible stake.

After a while, Draco smirked at Tiger and spoke. "Remember our last bet?" When Tiger didn't answer right away, he continued. "You had to do whatever I wanted." Tiger nodded slowly when realisation hit him, and Draco addressed the parchment once again. "I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, say the conditions for the bet will be that the loser will be the winners slave for one week."

Tiger swallowed hard, before he nodded. "I, Tiger Emerald Ryan, accept the stake, and add that there will be no exceptions. The winner will have the right to do whatever he pleases to the loser."

Now it was Draco's turn to swallow, but he accepted nevertheless.

Blaise, who had gone terribly red while the other two had spoken, ended the charm, duplicated the parchment, and gave both boys a sealed copy.

The train stopped, and Draco and Tiger looked at each other once again.

"Let the game begin."

-------

Upon arriving at Hogwarts, Tiger, Draco and Blaise entered the Entrance Hall, and were stopped short by a stern voice.

"Mr. Ryan." Tiger turned around, and saw Professor McGonagall walking up to them. "I'm Professor McGonagall," she introduced herself to Tiger. "You will follow me, and I will take you to a room were you can wait until it is time for your sorting."

Tiger nodded, and smiled at Draco and Blaise before he followed the Transfiguration teacher. On his way, he saw Hermione, Ron, and the others who were in their compartment. Ron smiled at him, and Hermione reminded him to get changed before he entered the Great Hall.

Tiger just smiled at her and continued on his way, which he assumed might lead him to the little room connected to the Great Hall, where he had to go after his name had been pulled out of the Goblet of Fire in his – no, Harry's - fourth year.

When they entered, McGonagall turned to him. "Wait here until I come to get you. I assume you will change in your school uniform before you are to be sorted?"

Tiger just smiled at the deputy Headmistress.

"Thank you, Professor. I'll wait here then until you come to get me."

"Very well." If she had noticed that Tiger hadn't answered her question, she didn't comment on it. She went back to the door, followed by Tiger, who opened it for her.

"Thank you, Mr. Ryan. Please make yourself at home while I'm gone. It will take a while, because I have to bring the First Years to the Great Hall first, and supervise their sorting as well."

"Thank you again, Professor," Tiger said as he smiled kindly.

"You're welcome, Mr. Ryan," she said before she left, her face just a shade more red than usual.

-------

Nearly an hour later, McGonagall came back to take Tiger into the Great Hall.

The black haired boy had waited patiently for her to come back. He had talk with some of the portraits, especially with Violet and the Fat Lady from the Gryffindor Portrait who was visiting her friend. The three chatted for a while, and Tiger turned on his old charm. The two women at once took him in their hearts, which was exactly what Tiger had hoped to achieve: one never knows when such a connection could come in handy.

When he had heard McGonagall enter the Great Hall with the First Years, he had eavesdropped on the door. There was a bit of chaos when Malfoy, Castor was called forward, and the sorting hat wouldn't put him in a house because he wasn't who he pretended to be.

For a moment Tiger feared he wouldn't get through the sorting when the Sorting Hat recognized him, but when he continued listening to what happened in the Great Hall, he found out what had caused the trouble. Obviously the twins had switched places, and the Sorting Hat had noticed it.

There was some murmuring and laughing, and the sorting only continued when Dumbledore had asked for the students to be quiet. After that, both twins had been sorted into Slytherin.

When the sorting was over, Tiger heard Dumbledore speak, and announce the new Defence Against The Dark Arts Professor, Remus Lupin. The Hall erupted into applause, which continued on for several minutes. After that, Dumbledore told them that there would be one more sorting that day. That was the moment when Tiger went back to his armchair, and waited for McGonagall to come get him.

"Mr. Ryan, it is time," she said, without really looking at him.

Slowly Tiger stood up from his chair, and walked over to the door. Only when McGonagall was about to reopen the door to let him into the Great Hall did she notice that he wasn't wearing his uniform.

"Why aren't you wearing your uniform?" she asked, a bit irritated.

"Oh." Tiger looked down at himself as if a bit surprised. "I must have forgotten to change. I'm sorry, Professor, I'll just get…" He was about to go back to the chair when they heard Professor Dumbledore call his name.

"There is no time for it, now. Let's go."

"But Professor, what about-" Tiger said, smirking to himself inside.

"I'm afraid you'll have to present yourself in your Muggle clothes. Now come along, Mr. Ryan."

Smiling to himself, Tiger left the room behind Professor McGonagall, and entered the Great Hall.

The Room went totally quiet for a second when the students saw him. A few gasps and murmurs, followed by some catcalls, and one particular comment replaced the silence.

"Bite me, Tiger!" Blaise growled seductively, which earned him a slap on the back of the head from Draco, which again caused everyone to laugh.

Smiling, Tiger walked in front of the students and sat down on the stool. McGonagall put the Hat on his head, and for the first time, it didn't drop over the eyes of a 'new' student. Tiger held his breath when the hat began to speak.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? That's interesting."

'Draco is hot! Draco is hot! Draco is hot! Draco is hot!' Tiger repeated in his head. He wasn't sure whether the hat would recognize him, and to not give it any opportunity to, he tried to think about nothing related to Harry Potter.

"Naughty thoughts, Mr. Ryan."

Tiger let out his breath, and relaxed a bit after hearing his name.

"Hey, I can't help myself. Look at him, he is hot." He smirked and looked at Draco, who was sitting with Blaise and the other sixth years at the Slytherin table. As if the hat really did look at Draco, it straightened itself and turned for a moment towards the blond. When Tiger felt it settle back on his head, he saw the blond looking at him questioningly. It didn't help at all when Tiger began to laugh out loud when the hat answered that, indeed, Draco was hot.

"Anyway, on with it." The hat continued. "Like I said you're a very interesting person, Mr. Ryan; loyal like a Hufflepuff, studious like a Ravenclaw, brave like a Gryffindor, and cunning like a Slytherin. I ought to put you in all of the four houses, but that is neither possible nor what you want, am I right?"

"Remember, 'There's nothing hidden in your head the Sorting Hat can't see'," Tiger stated a line from the hat's song – which had also been in its song in Harry's first year.

"Right you are Mr. Ryan. Well then, there is nothing more for me to say, than…"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Thank you."

Smiling, Tiger stood up and took the hat from his head. He handed it to McGonagall and smiled at the Head Table, catching a bemused-looking Dumbledore, a smiling Remus, and a slightly angry Snape looking at him, before he turned to walk down to the Slytherin table. On his way there, he looked at the Gryffindor table and saw Ron, Hermione, and their year mates whispering to each another. When he sat down at the Slytherin table beside Draco, the blond looked at him questioningly.

"What?" Tiger asked, amused.

"What took you so long? Why was the hat looking at me?"

"We had a little chat about you." He smiled innocently.

"I beg your pardon?"

"We talked about you. I was thinking about how hot you are, and after examining you, the Hat agreed." Tiger's smile grew, when he noticed Draco blushing.

"…" Draco wanted to respond, but Dumbledore stood up once again, and gave his yearly warnings: and then the food arrived. While Draco was eating silently, Tiger bent over and whispered in his ear.

"You really are hot, you know." Nearly choking on his food, Draco glared at Tiger but then lowered his head back down when he saw those terribly seductive eyes gleaming at him and blushed in a nice Weasley red.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	18. Draco's Mistake

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 18 – Draco's Mistake**

After the feast, Tiger, Draco and the other sixth year Slytherins made their way down to the dungeons, talking and laughing animatedly. They were the last to enter the common room, because they had given Tiger a little tour through the dungeons. When they did, they saw all the Slytherins gathered around and listening to Professor Snape, who stood in front of the fireplace.

"Sev's yearly welcome speech," Draco whispered in Tiger's ear, and walked deeper into the room.

"Ah, what a surprise. And here I thought I had lost my sixth years over the summer." Snape looked at them sardonically. "Do come in: take a seat. Mr. Ryan, I was just about to tell your fellow newcomers what it means to be sorted into Slytherin. I'm afraid you'll have to inform yourself otherwise, because as I just said, I won't repeat myself."

"But if you just said it, then you'd have repeated yourself already," Tiger answered in a smug voice.

Snape just glared at him, which made Tiger back away. "I'll just sit here and let you go on, okay?" He sat in the only vacant armchair - a dark green, nearly black leather chair with two open-mouthed snake heads at the end of the armrests. A gasp went through the room, and the second years began to whisper frantically.

"That's Draco Malfoy's chair."

"How dare he…"

"He will kill him."

"Draco Malfoy's chair."

Tiger looked questioningly at the blond who was standing behind the chair to the left. He raised one eyebrow as if asking 'You have your own chair?'

Draco smirked proudly. "What can I say? They love me." He took a step forward to stand beside his armchair.

"Well, it seems you have to share your seat from now on." And with that he grabbed Draco around the waist, and pulled him on top of himself. Another gasp ran through the common room while Draco tried to get away from Tiger's grip. But when the dark haired boy whispered in his ear, he stopped dead. "And here I thought I was the only one who loves you."

Draco looked shocked, but then glared at Tiger when he noticed the smirk. With every second they held eye contact, Draco's face grew redder and redder. He was about to duck his head to prevent anyone from seeing him blushing, when he was rescued by an annoyed snarl.

"If you two are quite done…"

The two looked at Snape, and Tiger's smirk transfigured into an innocent, sweet, but mischievous smile.

"But of course, Uncl-"

He was stopped by a hand over his mouth.

"If you don't want to die this instant, don't finish that sentence," Draco hissed in his ear.

Tiger looked over to Snape and found himself rewarded with a sneer which heretofore had been exclusively reserved for Harry Potter. He gave Snape an apologetic smile and ducked his head behind Draco.

"As I was saying, you've been sorted into Slytherin: not, like some of you might think, because your parents and grandparents and great-grandparents were in Slytherin, but because the Sorting Hat saw Slytherin qualities in you. Therefore I expect you to act like a Slytherin. I expect you to earn as many house points as possible, and to do what you have to for the other houses to lose theirs, without being caught yourself."

Tiger looked around Draco's back and quirked an eyebrow at the blond. Draco just shrugged and smiled at him.

"Furthermore, I expect you to excel in all your classes. If anyone has a problem with his or her studies, I want you to ask the elder years for help. If they, too, don't succeed in tutoring you, I want you to come to me, because I won't let you get away with bad marks."

"Make sure that no one is, in any way, being mocked or tyrannized by other houses. You will be a unit the moment you leave this common room. There will be no inner house rivalries outside the dungeons. I don't care what you're doing in these rooms, but I don't allow anyone to let the other houses get a poor impression of the cohesion of my house."

"Have I made myself clear?"

The room was silent. No one dared to answer other than with a firm nod.

Tiger, whose eyes had grown to twice their normal size, was still gaping at Snape in disbelief. And what the Potions Master said next didn't help at all to relieve Tiger's amazement.

"Should there be any problem, whatever they may be, which can't be solved between yourselves, or if you feel the need to talk to anyone other than immature teenagers, don't hesitate to come to me. I may be an arrogant bastard most of the time, but I want you to know that I'll be there for you, and will help you with whatever problem you may have, as long as you don't abuse my trust."

Tiger couldn't believe what he was hearing. Snape, the greasy bastard, has a heart? 'How come we never noticed this before? He must have told this to every new Slytherin year. Why haven't we heard something about that?'

As if he had read his mind, Snape answered the question. "And don't you dare talk about this to anyone outside the common room. If you tell anyone about me being a nice guy or anything along those lines, be warned that I won't hesitate to take points from my own house or give you detention."

Tiger snorted behind Draco's back, which he turned into a cough when he felt most of the Slytherins eyes on him. He buried his head in Draco's robes and waited, after Snape had sent them to bed, until everyone but the sixth year students had left the room.

"Is he gone?" When the common room fell quiet, Tiger's head came out of his hiding place - just to come face to face with his new Head of House. He let out an unintelligent shriek, and ducked back behind Draco. But moments later he looked back up, an innocent and questioning expression on his face. "Professor?"

"A word, Mr. Ryan, if you please." Snape turned and walked back to the fireplace. Tiger struggled out from under Draco, and with a whispered "Be nice" from Draco, he followed after his professor.

"Professor?"

Snape turned around and looked at him warningly. "Mr. Ryan, I will say this once, and once only." He took a step closer to Tiger, who instinctively took a step back. "I expect you to behave yourself. You are a Slytherin. Therefore everything you do will be reflect on my ability to lead my house. I won't let you get away with anything just because you're living with Lucius and Draco. We had a bad start, but it worked out better after a while. I've come to know you as an interesting person to talk to about potions, and I think I will enjoy your company for the next two months - or as long as it will last - as long as we treat each other with the same respect."

"Pardon me, sir, but what are you talking about? Why should I keep you company? Not that I haven't enjoyed our conversations about potions," he added, since the first part of his question was a bit harsher than he had intended.

"Right: I haven't told you yet." Snape said, and looked over at Draco for a moment, before he continued. "You will have one hour detention with me every night, for every day you insist on wearing inappropriate clothing while in classes and at meals."

"He told you about the bet."

Snape smirked at Tiger's disbelieving look.

"As today was the first official meal, you have already earned yourself one hour detention. I will expect you tomorrow evening at eight o'clock in my office. Ask someone how to find it. It is your choice whether you'll have to stay one or two hours. Good night, Mr. Ryan." With a nod to Draco and the other sixth years, Snape left the common room.

For a long while, Tiger just stood there and thought over the previous conversation, and about what the detentions would mean for his free time; for his study time. About what the detentions would consist of – 'He won't make me scrub the caldrons for two month, will he?' And, of course, about how he would repay Draco for this. After a while, he had the perfect idea. He smirked to himself, and made a mental note to talk to Castor and Pollux, as well as Blaise. He put on an angry face before he turned to Draco.

Draco stood in front of his armchair and was watching him expectantly. When Tiger walked over to him, he could see the emotion playing on Draco's face – smugness that he had put one over on Tiger, anticipation for having a slave soon, but also anxiety about Tiger's reaction. But with every step Tiger took, Draco's smirk grew so as not to let the dark haired boy see his doubts about his action.

But Tiger had already noticed Draco's façade. His own faded into mock anger when he spoke.

"You cheating little snake." He pushed Draco back into the seat and climbed onto his lap, straddling him. "I hope you haven't already made plans for my being your slave, because I assure you I won't lose the bet."

"Says the boy who will have detention for the next two months," Draco countered, with a sneer.

"Believe me, Draco; you will beg to be released from the bet before the two months are over," Tiger whispered in his ear, pressing his chest to Draco's.

"You wish." The blonde's voice cracked when Tiger sat back a bit, pressing his crotch into Draco's to shift his weight.

"No, my dear Dragon: you wish. At least you will after your first day as my 'toy'." He leant forward again, whispering against Draco's skin while wandering up from his neck to his ear, his hips rolling ever so slightly. "I will make you pay for every minute I spend with Snape. Fifty-nine days will be paid back in only seven. Every hour my hands have to shrub cauldrons or the Potions classroom I will repay by not letting my hands wander all over your body, stroking every part of your delicate skin."

Tiger was once again pressed against Draco's body, his lips beside the blonde's ear, whispering everything what he wouldn't do to him, and demonstrating with his hands what Draco would lose.

By now Draco was biting on his lower lip, preventing himself from moaning. The other sixth years stood forgotten around them. Crabbe and Goyle watched dumbfounded not knowing how to react until the other boys told them to go to bed, Pansy had fainted – once again – and Millicent and the other girls tried to carry her to their dormitory. Only Blaise remained in the room, watching the two of them open mouthed, until Theodore Nott came back and pulled him away.

"Every hour my hands have to cut ingredients and stir a potion, I will repay you by not digging my hands in your shoulder while I'm massaging your whole body." He pressed his hands on Draco's shoulders, massaging lightly, his thumbs stroking over the blonde's neck.

Draco's head fell back, and he let out a whimper when Tiger removed his hands.

"Every hour my ears have to listen to Snape ranting about hopeless First Years or incompetent Gryffindors, I will repay you by not making you listen to me talking dirty. I won't tell you about how I would take of your clothes one by one, button by button, and let my tongue explore every centimetre of the revealed skin. I won't tell you about how I would take your nipples in my mouth, and bite and suck them to hardness; first one, then the other, and then…"

A tiny whimper from Draco indicated that the blond knew what Tiger would do next. "And I won't tell you about how good it feels to feel your erection grow against mine."

"God," Draco moaned, when Tiger ground into him again.

"Every hour my mouth has to respond to Snape's questions, I will repay you by not nibbling at your earlobe. I will not lick the spot behind your ear which I know makes you purr like a cat." Tiger smirked against Draco's skin when he heard the other boy purr. "I will not kiss and nibble and bite your neck…and then all the way back up to your mouth…which I won't kiss, either."

Tiger licked over Draco's lips, and the blond immediately opened his mouth, kissing the other boy passionately.

Tiger forgot for a while what he wanted to do to Draco and just leant into the kiss, his hands rummaging over the blonde's body, and feeling Draco's hands on his back, trying to sneak under his shirt. But when he felt Draco's hands on his skin, he pulled back and grabbed Draco's hands to bring them to his mouth.

"I will not lick and suck on your fingers and let them fuck my mouth while I rub myself against you, bringing you slowly over the edge." He did as he said he would not do, and rubbed himself against Draco while the blond finger-fucked his mouth. When he felt Draco lose control, his fingers moving in and out faster, he stopped and pulled back.

Draco whimpered at the loss, and opened his eyes to look at Tiger.

"I will, however," he said, beginning to stand up, but still leaning down over Draco, "end this demonstration now, to show you just what you've got yourself into by seeking your godfather's help." He took a step back and turned around, only now letting his face show just how difficult this last move was for him.

There was a long pause where both boys tried to calm down, then Draco spoke.

"God, why do you hate me so much?" Draco was still panting when he stood up and walked over to Tiger. "How can you be so cruel?"

Smirking, Tiger turned around. "Cruel? Me? Who was the one who earned me fifty-nine - fifty-nine - detentions with Snape?"

"You don't have to take more than one." Draco smiled innocently.

"You wish." Tiger glared at him. "And don't believe what I did was cruel. I promise you I will torture you until I get bored of it, which I can assure you will never happen." He took a step forward so they were mere inches apart, and smiled. "But don't worry," he raised his hand and caressed Draco's cheek, "maybe, in the end, it will all be well worth it." He gave Draco a long, sweet kiss, wrapping his arms around him, into which the blond melted immediately. "Let's go to bed," Tiger whispered against Draco's lips, and the two went to their dormitory.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	19. Crying over spilt Potions

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 19 – Crying over spilt Potions**

**Tiger woke up bright and early the next morning. He sat up carefully, and looked down at the blond beauty in whose arms he had been lying recently. Ever since Lucius had put the spell on them which had forced the two to stay close together, Tiger and Draco had spent every night together in one bed. First it was because of their failed cheering potion, where they had fallen asleep in Draco's bed together, and a few late night talks where Tiger had been too tired to return to his own room. Later, there wasn't even a minute where Tiger considered sleeping in his own bed. He felt safe in Draco's arms, and he liked the feeling of the other boy nuzzled close to him. Besides, he loved to make Draco squirm and run into the bathroom first thing every morning after he had snuggled closer to him, resting his head on the blonde's stomach, facing his groin, arms and legs wrapped around Draco's waist and legs.**

**But not today. No. Today he woke up an hour before everyone else, to prepare his little revenge for Draco's betrayal. He gave the blond one last look, and then he crawled carefully out of Draco's bed. It was always the blonde's bed where the two slept, so Tiger had lain down on Draco's bed last night automatically. **

**Draco had watched him, a little unsure whether he should join him, or sleep with Spike in the other bed, which the kitten had claimed as his the moment he saw it. ('Perhaps he just doesn't know which one is his bed'). But then Tiger had smiled at him, and petted the spot next to him. Returning the smile, Draco had crawled under the blanket and cuddled close to Tiger, his head resting on the other boy's chest. The last he remembered before he fell asleep, was Tiger whispering, "Don't think just because you're lying in my arms means that you are forgiven." With a slightly panicked feeling the blond drifted of into dreamland. **

**Tiger stood up and silently walked out of the dorm, reflexively grabbing his wand on the way. He went down the corridor leading to the common room, and was about to enter when he heard two whispering voices.**

"**Are you sure this will work? I doubt that we could say the spell and pretend to be in a conversation at the same time. We have to concentrate for the spell to work. What if someone listens to what we say and then hear us saying 'accelero' all of a sudden?" **

'**Accelero? Never heard of such a spell,' Tiger thought.**

"**Don't worry, Cas, as long as we manage to sneak the frog on that third year's plate who treated us like babies yesterday, there will be so much turmoil that no one will hear what we say. Oh, and by the way; it's 'accelera', not 'accelero'." **

'**Accelera? Wonder what they're up to now?' Tiger waited a moment longer before he entered the common room rubbing his eyes and pretending to be still half asleep. When he put his hands down, he looked at the twins as though surprised.**

"**Morning, you two. Why are you up so early?"**

"**Couldn't sleep," Castor said.**

"**Had to use the loo," Pollox said at the same time, then hastily added, "After that I wasn't tired anymore."**

**Tiger smiled and sat down beside the twins, ignoring their attempts to hide several parchments.**

"**Why are you up so early?" Pollox asked him.**

"**You don't look like you got a good night's sleep," Castor finished, and the two looked him up and down. Tiger looked down at himself, and noticed for the first time that he was still only wearing his boxers.**

"**Oh." He smiled sheepishly. "Lucky me that Snape isn't around. I'm sure this would earn me at least one more hour detention."**

"**Say, you don't intend to take all fifty-nine detentions, do you?"**

"**Because we had planned to get the most detentions this year."**

"**You aren't planning any pranks already, are you?" Tiger asked naïvely. **

**The twins shook their heads innocently. **

"**Because if you are, you should know that being a good prankster doesn't mean getting the most detentions, but playing good pranks without hurting anybody, and without getting caught." He stood up and walked back to the corridor leading to the boy's dormitories. At the entrance, he turned once again. "Oh, and by the way - 'celer' is far easier to cast than 'accelera' but still as effective." He made a quick gesture with his wand, and said the spell. He smirked when he saw the twins looking stunned after the frog, which the twins had planned to use as distraction. It was jumping like mad around the room, almost faster than they could watch.**

"**Hey, make it stop!" Pollox cried after Tiger, who vanished through the corridors with the words, "You've got forty-five minutes left before the first students wake up."**

**Smiling, Tiger walked down the corridor to the sixth year boy's dormitory. 'Now I don't even have to ask the twins for a little distraction for Blaise to spice Draco's tea. Talking about Blaise, it's time for him to wake up, I think.' Silently Tiger entered the dorm room, and walked over to Blaise' bed. He pulled the curtains open for him to enter, and then closed them again behind him. Slowly he sat down on the edge of the bed, and watched Blaise sleep. The dark haired Slytherin was obviously having an erotic dream. He was all sweaty, and mumbling in his sleep. And, of course, the bulge under the blanket was a good giveaway for his stage of arousal. Tiger thought for a moment whether he should leave, but then he heard Blaise pleading.**

"**Please, Tiger; let me come, please." **

**Tiger raised an eyebrow and looked at Blaise, surprised. Smirking, he leaned down and whispered in his ear.**

"**Come for me, my sweetie." **

**Moaning, Blaise arched up and opened his eyes. For a moment he rode out his orgasm, then he noticed Tiger, and stopped dead.**

"**Fuck, Tiger, what are you doing here?"**

"**Counter-question: What am I doing in your dreams?" he asked, interested.**

"**God." Blaise buried his head in his hands, and mumbled something about embarrassing and never hearing the end of it, before a hand on his shoulder made him look up. Tiger was looking a bit uneasily at him now, but before he could say anything, Blaise spoke. **

"**Why are you here? There isn't a chance that you wanted to participate, is there?" he asked sheepishly, the embarrassing situation forgotten when he saw Tiger's state of near nakedness.**

"**Sorry, sweetie." Tiger reached out and stroked Blaise cheek softly. "You're really a great guy, but I prefer blondes; or one particular blond, that is."**

"**Pity," Blaise said, and leaned forward. "Because I think we could have a lot of fun together, just you and me." He placed a hand on Tiger's chest and let it wander up and down. Their faces were mere inches apart from one another. Blaise closed the distance between them, and their lips met. Neither of them moved, Blaise giving Tiger the opportunity to back away, and Tiger too stunned to do anything. The moment Blaise went to deepen the kiss, he felt Tiger's lips move and form the word 'no'. He kept his lips on Tiger's a few more seconds, then moved back and looked at the other boy, who kept his eyes down.**

"**Sorry," Tiger mumbled, and went to stand up, but Blaise held him back.**

"**Stay. I knew I hadn't a chance, but look at yourself: can you blame me?" He looked Tiger up and down, and smiled at him. "You've got a really sexy arse."**

**Tiger blushed and averted his eyes before he put on a seductive smile, and with a glint in his eyes, looked back at the other boy. **

"**You know, I think we could really have a lot of fun together," Tiger insinuated. He crawled closer to Blaise, who backed away a bit at Tiger's sudden reaction. Straddling Blaise, Tiger lowered his head to Blaise' ear and whispered, "But I don't think that you're capable of handling me." Blaise wanted to say something, but a little shift in position from Tiger made this impossible. "Just look at Draco during the next few days, and you'll be grateful that it isn't you whom I'm having fun with." **

**He pushed his groin a bit into Blaise' and felt the other boy's growing erection. Blaise moaned when he felt Tiger's lips at his ear. "I would make you beg and plead, and in the end I still wouldn't satisfy you." Now he nibbled lightly at Blaise' earlobe, which was too much for the boy.**

"**God, Tiger, please." **

**And that was what Tiger had been waiting for. He sat up and got up from Blaise, who whimpered in frustration.**

"**Do you really want that to happen all the time?" Tiger smirked at him.**

"**Damn, Tiger; you're really cruel."**

"**Thank you. Now that I have your attention, I need your help." **

**And for the next ten minutes, Tiger told the other boy about his plan; how he wanted to pay Draco back for telling Snape about the bet. Blaise' part in the plan was just to put a potion in Draco's tea without him noticing, and to make sure that the blond drinks it.**

"**And you're sure that the twins will help you against their cousin?" Blaise asked, after Tiger had finished.**

"**Those two don't know about my plan. I wanted to ask them for a little distraction, but I overheard them talking about a prank they're going to pull, which would be distraction enough."**

"**And their plan will work?"**

"**I have seen to it that it will work."**

"**So-" Blaise wanted to ask another question, but the two heard someone wake up in the room.**

"**I'll give you the potion when Draco is in the bathroom," Tiger whispered before he crawled out of Blaise' bed to go back to Draco's. **

**He laid back down beside Draco, his head resting on the blonde's stomach, arms and legs wrapped around Draco's waist and leg, just before he heard the first curtains being opened, and Crabbe and Goyle started animatedly talking about breakfast. He closed his eyes and was about to fall back asleep, when he noticed the first parts of Draco wake up under his soft stroking of the blonde's inner thigh.**

**It didn't take long before Tiger was lying alone on the bed, and Draco had rushed of into the bathroom. **

**The moment Draco left the dormitory, Blaise came over to Tiger, who gave him the potion for the blonde's tea. After that, Tiger turned around, and was once again about to fall asleep, when...**

"**Wake up, sleepyhead." **

"**Hm?" Tiger opened one eye carefully to look for who woke him up, and found Draco smiling down at him.**

"**Come on, Tiger; time to wake up. You don't want to be late on your first day at school, now do you?"**

"**Go 'way," Tiger mumbled sleepily, and pulled the blanket over his head.**

"**Oh, no, you don't." Draco pulled the blanket down and pulled Tiger in a sitting position. "Get up. Go shower and get dressed. You have ten minutes before I leave without you."**

"**See you at breakfast, then," Tiger said, and lay back down.**

"**If you fall back asleep…"**

"**Then I'll dream of you." Tiger smiled, with his eyes closed.**

"**I'll wait in the common room." Shaking his head, Draco grabbed his book bag and left the dormitory.**

**The moment the door closed, Tiger jumped out of the bed and began to rummage through his trunk. Earlier this morning he had only found the potion he had given Blaise without making too much noise. Now he was searching for the second part for his plan.**

"**Ah, there you are," he said after a few minutes. His head emerged back out of his trunk, and he held a small spray can in his hand which had the emblem of 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' on it. It was a present from the Weasley twins at the end of last year. They had sent it to him two days after he was back at the Dursleys, with a note which simply said 'So you can see things through.' **

**Tiger had tried it once at the Dursleys. He had taken a sip from the potion and had sprayed the other one on the wall between his and Dudley's rooms. What he saw made him choke and run out of the room. Obviously Dudley had had a date with his right hand. Tiger refused to go back to his room until late that night, because the potion lasted twelve hours. **

**Tiger put the can on the bedside table, and then went to the wardrobe to choose something to wear. When he had found something he liked, he laid it out on the bed, and took the spray can again. He thought for a moment before he went to work, and prepared his clothes for his little private show. **

**When he heard voices in the corridor, he hid the can in his trunk, grabbed his wash things and his clothes, and run to the bathroom. He was under the shower when he heard Draco call for him.**

"**Are you coming, Tiger?"**

"**You wish," he shouted back and smirked, imagining the blush on Draco's cheeks.**

"**We're leaving without you if you're not ready in two minutes."**

"**Just go ahead; I need a little longer," Tiger replied, a little calmer after he had switched off the shower.**

"**You just want to have your big entrance, do you?"**

"**What can I say?" The door opened, and a naked Tiger greeted Draco. "I love to be looked at." He smiled, and reached out to close Draco's mouth, which had fallen wide open from the sight in front of him. **

"**Don't act as if you're seeing this for the first time," Tiger teased. He stopped and gave Draco a moment to look back up at him, after his gaze wandered all over him. When the blond was looking at him again, he added, "And who knows? Maybe you'll see a lot more of this sooner than you think." **

**Tiger smirked mischievously, which shook Draco out of his dazed stare.**

"**What are you planning now?" the blond asked distrustfully.**

"**For the moment? To get clothed and go to breakfast. What about you?" Tiger smiled innocently at Draco, who wanted to reply, but at that moment the door opened, and Blaise came in.**

"**Are you… Good god, my poor heart! If you don't stop pounding so hard, I'll die on the spot."**

"**Blaise," Draco said, irritated with his friend staring at his boyfriend.**

**No answer. **

"**Blaise!" **

**The dark haired boy brought his gaze from Tiger's body, and looked at Draco. "Sod off." Draco growled at his best friend. **

"**And you can go with him, Draco, because like I said, I'll need a bit longer." Tiger gave Draco a little push in Blaise' direction, and vanished into the bathroom.**

**-------**

**Everybody was already in the Great Hall when Tiger entered. The moment he closed the door behind him, the room fell silent. A few gasps were heard, and there was some whispering about his clothes, just like last night, but most of them were just staring at what, exactly, he was wearing. He was clad in tight, low hanging, faded blue jeans, and a blood red t-shirt which ended close over the waistband of his jeans, so that one could see his stomach with every move. **

**Slowly he made his way over to the Slytherin table, feigning ignorance of all the stares directed at him. He sat down across from Draco and Blaise, and poured himself a cup of tea before looking up and smiling at his surroundings.**

"**Morning." **

**Tiger took a sip of his tea, and noticed out of the corner of his eye that Pollox and Caster were preparing for their prank. They were talking animatedly, and gesticulating madly with their hands. If one didn't know that they were up to something, one wouldn't know that what happened next was their doing. One moment they were discussing their sorting, and in the next there was a panicked scream, and a shuffling a few seats away from them. **

**Tiger didn't pay attention to the tumult and grabbed a piece of toast, watching as the first part of his own plan succeeded.**

**At the first screech, everyone had turned to the poor third year, and Blaise had managed to put the potion into Draco's tea. Then when everything seemed back to normal, Draco turned back to his plate and looked at Tiger. The dark haired youth smiled at him, and raised his cup to his lips, inwardly cheering when Draco grabbed his own tea and took a sip. Immediately, the blonde's expression changed to one of suspicion.**

"**What did you put into the tea?" he asked the innocent looking boy in front of him.**

"**Why, what are you thinking of me? How could you say that I would spice your tea?"**

"**I know you're not that bad a liar, so you wanted me to know that it was your doing. Tell me, Tiger, what-" **

**Draco never had the chance to end the sentence, because once again there was a deafening screech, followed by countless others, and a lot of chairs shuffling. Half the hall jumped on their chairs and looked down at the ground frantically, searching for whatever had caused the turmoil. Hundred of slimy traces ran all over the floor, left by five inch long slugs which crawled faster than one could see. Within seconds they were on the tables, and nibbling at everything they could reach.**

**Swallowing the last of his toast and the rest of his tea, Tiger stood up and, smiling at the blond, he left the Great Hall. He smiled at himself when he heard Draco gasp, behind him.**

**On his way to the door, Tiger stopped at the twins. Leaning down to speak to them, he positioned himself so that his bottom was directed at where Draco was sitting, legs spread slightly.**

"**Speak a quick spell to conceal what you've done. Your last spell can be traced back."**

"**Thanks." The twins smiled at him. **

**Before he went on, Tiger glanced one last time at Draco, who was watching him open-mouthed.**

**-------**

**Tiger was already seated for his first class when all the other Slytherin sixth years entered the room, followed shortly by a select group of Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Tiger wondered briefly how Crabbe and Goyle had managed to be accepted for advanced Potions, before a whispering voice interrupted his thoughts.**

"**I swear you're going to kill me one day." **

**Smiling, Tiger turned to Draco, who had sat down beside him, exposing himself in the process again. **

"**God," Draco breathed, and looked around frantically to see whether anybody else could see what he did.**

"**Don't worry, Dragon," Tiger whispered in his ear, "this little show is exclusively for you." He stroked his hand provocatively up and down his inner thigh, stopping just under the crotch of his pants, and drawing Draco's attention once again to that spot.**

**The blond bit his upper lip hard to prevent a moan from escaping while he watched Tiger caressing his seemingly naked thigh. His eyes wandered up, following Tiger's hand to his stomach, where he drew a few circles around his exposed belly button.**

**The fast shuffling of chairs and the dying of the conversations around them made the two boys look up just in time to see Professor Snape seating himself behind his desk. Turning to the front, Tiger and Draco listened to Snape reading the attendance list.**

"**Abbott," Snape read, not looking up.**

"**Here," Hannah replied shyly, not knowing whether the Potions Master really wanted an answer. When he continued reading names, the young Hufflepuff let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding.**

"**Boot."**

"**Here," The Ravenclaw said, a bit more self-confidently than Hannah had been.**

"**Bulstrode."**

"**Yes."**

"**Finnigan."**

"**Here."**

"**Goldstein."**

"**Here."**

"**Granger."**

"**Yes, sir."**

"**MacMillan."**

"**Here, Professor."**

"**Malfoy."**

"**Here for you, sir." **

**Snape stopped a moment to glare at Draco before he continued.**

"**Nott."**

"**Here."**

"**Parkinson."**

"**Yes."**

"**Ryan."**

"**I'm all yours." Tiger smiled at the professor when the man looked up from his list. He glared at the teen before he called out the last name on his list.**

"**Zabini."**

"**Here."**

**Slowly, Snape stood up and looked over his advanced Potions class. His gaze landed on two boys whose names weren't on his list.**

"**Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle - would you please be so kind as to tell me what exactly you two are doing in my advanced class?" **

**The two boys looked at each other, and then their gaze fell on Draco as if the blond would know what they are doing there. **

"**I'm waiting," Snape said, annoyed.**

"**We followed Draco," Goyle said, as if it was the most evident reason. **

"**We always follow Draco," Crabbe added, plainly.**

**Snape looked questioningly at his godson, who just shrugged, indicating his innocence.**

"**Mr. Malfoy?"**

"**Believe me, sir, I wouldn't dream of telling those two to attend advanced potions. I'm glad that Longbottom isn't with us anymore. I don't need them to replace him." **

"**Well, I don't want to lose more time on you two," Snape said to Crabbe and Goyle. "Would you please be so kind, and leave my classroom immediately."**

"**But- but, Draco," Crabbe babbled, searching Draco's eyes.**

"**Where should we go?" Goyle added, also looking at the blond.**

"**Oh, for god's sake," Draco exploded. "Just look at your schedule and try, for once, to do something without me holding your hands." **

**The two bulky boys took out their schedules, studied them for a few minutes, and then looked at each other. They smiled at each other as if they had just won the Quidditch world cup before announcing simultaneously, "We've got advanced Herbology." **

"**Congratulations for this interesting discovery, gentlemen. I'd like to celebrate this precious moment with you, but there is this little advanced potions class I'd like to teach right now. So would you please be so kind, and leave this instant." Snape hadn't finished his sentence when Crabbe and Goyle were on their way to the door – half stumbling over each other.**

**After they had closed the door behind them, Snape turned to the rest of the class, and started his lesson.**

**-------**

"**Oh, I can't believe him. How dare he give me another two hours detention, besides the two for wearing Muggle clothes, just because I was trying to prevent Seamus' cauldron from exploding? It wasn't my fault that I tripped over Hannah's bag and knocked over Seamus' cauldron in the process. And then the slimy git ordered me to clean up the mess, instead of escorting them to the infirmary," a fuming Tiger Ryan ranted, on his way out of the dungeons after a horrible first potions lesson.**

"**It's your own fault, Tiger," Pansy replied from behind him. In his anger Tiger hadn't seen the other Slytherins waiting outside of the classroom for him. "You shouldn't have tried to help that Gryffindor poof. If I had known you would try to prevent the explosion, I wouldn't have-"**

"**You wouldn't have what?" Tiger swirled around and glared angrily at Pansy. "What did you do to Seamus' potion?"**

"**I- I- I-" Pansy stuttered, unable to speak under that intimidating glare.**

"**Oh for god's sake; she spiced it. So what's the problem?" Theodore Nott asked, annoyed.**

"**What's the problem?" Tiger turned to the boy and pinned him to the wall with his gaze. "Three students are in the infirmary because of her little joke. And do I have to remind you that one of them is DRACO?" Tiger shouted, before turning and storming away in the direction of the hospital wing.**

**-------**

**Ten minutes later, Tiger reached the infirmary to find a furious Ronald Weasley walking up and down in front of the door.**

"**Ron?" Tiger stepped up to the redhead.**

"…**won't let me in. I'm her boyfriend, a prefect-"**

"**Ron!" **

"…**won't even tell me what happened."**

"**Ronald Weasley!" Tiger all but shouted, to get the Gryffindor's attention.**

"**Oh, Tiger." Ron looked, surprised, at the Slytherin. "What are you doing here?"**

"**I want to know how they are."**

"**They? I thought it was just Hermione. Ernie said one of the Slytherins knocked over Seamus' potion and it hit Hermione. Whoever it was, they'll pay for it."**

"**That would be me, then," Tiger said apologetically.**

"**What?"**

"**It was me who knocked over Seamus' potion."**

"**But why? I thought-"**

"**It was an accident. I wanted to stop him from adding the batwings because there was something wrong with his potion. It was already green, but it shouldn't have been green until it was ready. I think it had too much pixy blood added, because that has the effect of turning a potion green. I don't know how it could have been added, because everybody knows that a single drop too much of pixy blood is enough to make a potion explode. But when you add a lot of pixy blood where it shouldn't be added, then-"**

"**Stop! Please, stop. I didn't quit potions to be talked deaf about it in my free time."**

"**Sorry."**

"**What I'd like to know, is how you knocked the potion over."**

"**I tripped." Tiger shrugged. "I think it was Hannah's bag."**

"**Tell me, Tiger, was it a dangerous potion?" Ron asked, a bit concerned.**

"**We were making ointment for Madam Pomfrey which is totally harmless if spilled, but I don't know what Seamus' mixture had for an effect."**

"**Do you think she will be okay?"**

"**They will all be okay," Tiger reassured him. "I assure you, if Madam Pomfrey doesn't know what to do, then Snape will do everything he can-"**

"**Snape? Are you kidding me? He won't do anything for a Gryffindor."**

"**Maybe not for a Gryffindor – which I doubt, by the way – but for his own godson he will do anything."**

"**His godson?"**

"**Draco was hit by the potion, too."**

"**Malfoy? He's Snape's-"**

"**Godson. Yes, Weasley you heard correctly." The two turned to the door of the infirmary to find Draco, Seamus, and Hermione standing there.**

"'**Mione!" Ron threw his arms around Hermione, and pulled her close to him.**

"**Draco, are you all right?" Tiger took a step closer to Draco and put a straying blond strand behind the blonde's ear, leaving his hand at the other boy's cheek afterwards.**

"**I'm fine," Draco said, leaning into the caress.**

"**I feel a bit out of place at the moment," Seamus said, bringing the attention of the others back to him.**

"**What did Pomfrey say?" Ron asked his girlfriend.**

"**It wasn't anything dangerous. A few healing spells, and everything was okay."**

"**I still don't know how it could have happened," Seamus said, a bit confused.**

"**You had too much pixy blood in your potion," Tiger explained.**

"**But I know that I added the right amount; three drops."**

"**And with just a few drops more, the potion would have exploded immediately," Draco added, looking questioningly at Tiger. **

**The dark haired boy just mouthed 'Pansy' to the blond before he turned to the other and said, "I could be mistaken, but I'm sure that I'll know by tomorrow. Snape will probably let me make the potion again, and let me write about what can happen when it is made incorrectly." **

"**Oh, right. You've got detention because of it. We should tell Professor Snape that you just wanted to help," Hermione said sympathetically.**

"**As if the greasy git would hear you out," Ron grumbled.**

"**Hey, Weasley; please be so kind as to avoid insulting our Head of House, who is also my godfather."**

"**How could I have forgotten, Malfoy," Ron said sarcastically. "Now we know why you're his favourite pet."**

"**That's enough," Tiger interrupted before Draco could reply. "Let's go to our next class. We are already far too late." **

"**Oh, damn it; and I've got Divination. Trelawney will want me to do a prediction in front of the whole class. I'm buggered." **

**Draco wanted to comment on Ron's whining, but a glare from Tiger kept his mouth closed; unused.**

"**Let's go, then."**

**-------**

**The rest of the day went by without incident. And far too quickly it was eight o'clock, and Tiger found himself crawling over the potions classroom floor, cleaning it once again.**

**Snape's last class of the day had been fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins, and with Colin Creevey in this class, there was always the need of cleaning afterwards. Obviously Collin was just as bad in Potions as Neville Longbottom.**

**When Tiger was done with his cleaning, he walked over to the door at the front of the room leading to Snape's office.**

"**Sir? I'm done with the cleaning," Tiger announced, after knocking at the open door.**

"**Sit down," Snape said, without looking up from his grading. **

**Tiger walked into the room and sat down across from the Potion Master. **

"**Tell me, Mister Ryan," Snape began after nearly five minutes silence, "what caused the reaction of the spilled potion this morning?"**

"**To much pixy blood added, sir." Tiger answered, somewhat confused. Obviously Snape knew that there was a reason why the potion had another effect than intended. 'Why did he punish me when he knew that?'**

"**Exactly. Then maybe you can tell me how it was possible that Mr. Finnigan could make so large a mistake that he added at least three times as much pixy blood as necessary, but still not have the potion explode? I know that Gryffindors aren't the brightest, but Mister Finnigan is one of my best students; even better than that little know-it-all, Granger."**

"**I don't know what happened, sir."**

"**If that's so…" With that, Snape went back to ignoring Tiger, and continued grading the summer homework. "Incompetent brats." **

**Tiger sat there watching Snape swearing about 'useless students'. He couldn't keep a snigger from escaping, which caused Snape to look up. Instantly his expression changed to one of innocence. (Using both 'contain' and 'from escaping' is redundant. You could use ', however.)**

"**Do tell me, Mr. Ryan…" Snape began in a dangerously calm voice. **

**Tiger bit his lip to not respond unasked at this moment. One never knew what Snape was up to when he used that tone. **

"…**what do you know about Forgetfulness Potion?" the potion master continued.**

**Tiger smiled, remembering this particular potion from his exams in his first year. He hadn't been that good that time, but after he had reviewed everything, he knew this potion and its effect by heart.**

"**Despite its name, its effect isn't that someone would forget something, but that they wouldn't forget it. It is often used in interviews or in special classes where a lot of information is given. The effect lasts between one and three hours, depending on the extent of information one takes in. After that the knowledge isn't forgotten, but it isn't as clear as before; just like when one learns something, but only remembers the most important facts. I don't think it's against school rules to use this potion for classes, at least that's what my uncle told me when I used it for learning my Muggle school exams."**

"**You're right; it isn't against the rules. But you have to be careful because if you take it too often, you can become addicted to it."**

"**I know. That's why I always had to tell my uncle when I used it. He made sure that I didn't take it too often." Tiger paused for a moment, thinking about Sirius. 'He would have done it if he'd had the chance.'**

"**He was a good man obviously."**

"**Yes. He was the closest to a father I ever had."**

"**He taught you a lot about Potions, did he?" **

"**I've an Outstanding in my OWL's, after all," Tiger smirked, lightening the somewhat awkward atmosphere.**

"**I admit that you have quite a bit of knowledge about potions. Let's see what you can do with these." With that, he shoved a pile of parchments over to Tiger, and handed him quill and red ink. "These are the second year's summer homework about Forgetfulness Potion. I want you to mark them."**

"**But, sir, I never did that before. I wouldn't know how to mark them. They are at the beginning of their second year; I'm sure they just know the basics of this potion. I remember relearning it with a lot more detail a few years later."**

"**That's right; they did just know the basic information about the potion." Snape stood up and went to the bookshelves behind his desk. Within seconds he found what he needed, and sat back down. Handing Tiger the book, he said, "This is the book the students learned the potion from. Page 153."**

"**I don't know what you expect from your students," Tiger still protested.**

"**What would you expect from twelve year olds who have studied this potion for their exams?" **

**Tiger thought about that a moment then nodded, and started correcting the homework. It didn't take long for Tiger to know why Snape had had been swearing while he marked the homework. Some of them were really horrible. But others were really good. He enjoyed reading their explanations - all of them. For those that were wrong, he added the correct information, and for those that were really good, he gave a few bits of advice where the student could find some more information about the potion.**

**When he was done with the corrections Tiger handed the essays to Snape. While the Potions Master looked them through, Tiger sat totally still in his seat, nervously biting on his lower lip. He didn't really know why, but for some reason it was very important for him to get Snape's approval. **

**After nearly thirty minutes, the Potions Professor put the last parchment down, and looked at Tiger. For a moment they just stared at each other before Snape spoke.**

"**You liked marking the essays?"**

"**It was interesting to read what different knowledge the students have."**

"**You have written a lot of advice for both the good and the poor ones."**

"**I thought it would be good to give them some ideas to improve their knowledge. Some of them seem really interested in the subject, and others seemed to have totally misunderstood the assignment. There was this particular one from Gryffindor, I think it was Seamus Finnegan's sister Alexandra, who wrote her essay as if she was totally sure about what she wrote, but it was all wrong. Well, not wrong as in incorrect, but as if she had mixed up the potion. I read her homework and my first thought was that you had given different assignments to the students, but she still wrote about it as Forgetfulness Potion. I think what she had in mind when she wrote the essay was the Forget-me-not Potion. I haven't checked it because it just struck me, but I think it might be that one."**

"**Are you sure? The Forget-me-not Potion is sixth year standard."**

"**I know, I've read about it. That's why I thought it might be that potion." **

**Professor Snape rummaged a moment through the pile of parchments until he found the one by Alexandra Finnegan. He took his time to reread it before he turned back to Tiger. "You're right. It is a perfect explanation of the Forget-me-not Potion," Snape said, astonished. **

**Tiger smiled at Snape's reaction. He didn't know whether the professor's reaction was because of his discovery, or because of Alexandra's incredible knowledge of Potions. **

"**You have given her a 'Dreadful'. Why?" Snape asked, confused.**

"**She failed to answer the assigned homework, sir. I thought that was the appropriate thing to do."**

"**That's the normal way, yes. But you gave her the chance to redo it and to correct her mark."**

"**I thought it wasn't fair that she get a poor mark because she wrote about the wrong potion. If it had been incorrect I wouldn't have offered; if I weren't sure she does know about the Forgetfulness Potion. I'm sorry if I've exceeded my position." Tiger waited for Snape to rebuke him, but instead the Potions Master surprised him once again.**

"**You seem really interested in correcting the essays."**

"**Yes, I enjoyed reading someone else' understanding of Potions."**

"**Would you like to continue correcting the younger year's homework? God knows I can't stand their ignorance of Potions." **

"**Does that mean you are pleased with my work?"**

"**I though that was obvious by now," Snape said, somewhat annoyed.**

"**You really want me to help with the assignments?" Tiger asked, still sceptical.**

"**Do you really think I want to reread all those essays which you made them to rewrite?" Snape snarled. **

"**It seems I don't have a choice."**

"**Oh, don't get me wrong. You have a choice. You can either mark essays while you sit through your detention, or I'll find something for you to clean every day for the next two months," Snape sneered. **

**Tiger smiled, because this offer was a sign of Snape's acceptance of Tiger. His smile grew when he remembered Snape talking about the next two months.**

"**You have come to terms with my wearing muggle clothes." He smirked at Snape.**

"**Let's just say that I take it as a chance to get rid of the ignorance of some of my students."**

"**Then I think I will accept your offer, and I promise to do my best."**

"**I expect nothing less."**

"**Of course, sir."**

"**You may go now, Mr. Ryan."**

"**Thank you, sir. Good night." Tiger stood up and went to the door.**

"**Good night, Mr. Ryan." **

**Just before Tiger closed the door behind him, he turned back to Snape.**

"**Oh, and sweet dreams, Uncle Sevvie." He closed the door just before a curse hit it.**

**Laughing, Tiger went back to the Slytherin common room. 'That was my best detention ever,' Tiger thought. 'I hope the next will be just as good.'**

**And they would be. **

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	20. A Werewolf's instincts

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 20 – A Werewolf's instincts**

It was indeed the best detention Tiger had ever had. The rest of the week he corrected the summer homework from the lower classes and the rewritten ones which the second years had handed in, in their second lesson of the year – all the while discussing potions with Snape or bickering with the man. He always stayed longer than one hour. Often, he didn't even come back to the common room until everybody else was already in bed. Draco would stay up and wait for him, but the last night he had fallen asleep in his chair in the common room, and Tiger had to carry him to bed.

When Tiger entered the common room Friday night after he had been away an especially long time, he noticed Draco closing his eyes just as he entered. He smiled to himself, and went over to Draco. Closing the book that lay on the blonde's chest and putting it aside, he bent down and picked the seemingly sleeping boy up and carried him to their dormitory.

After he had deposited Draco on his bed and had pulled of his clothes so that he was only in his boxers – without magic of course, and very slowly – he pulled of his own clothes, and lay down beside the blond.

"You know," He leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "You look like a fallen angel right now. Your hair is like silk, but all unruly." He ran his fingers through the blond strands, stroking Draco's head for a while. "Your face is so soft, but pale, like death – sweet death." He let his fingertips wander over Draco's face. "And your lips..." he continued, resting his thumb over the blonde's lips. "Your lips, so tender and… kissable." He mouthed against said lips, before placing his own on them in a tender kiss.

The moment Draco responded to the kiss, Tiger pulled away and smiled down at the other boy.

"Sleep well, my Dragon." Tiger gave him one last, chaste kiss, then he turned his back to Draco and closed his eyes. He smiled when he heard the blond growl and shift for a while. After a moment he turned over, only to be faced with Draco's back. He placed his hands on the other boy's hips, and pulled him around. Smiling at the pouting blond, he pulled him closer until Draco lay in his arms, head resting on his chest.

"You're cruel," Draco mumbled half asleep.

"But you love me nonetheless," Tiger replied, stroking his back until both of them fell asleep.

-------

Saturday morning, Tiger and Draco slept in. They slept through breakfast, and didn't even wake up when a big clamour broke out in the common room. They only woke up when the curtains of the bed were opened, and a voice spoke to them.

"You know, you two can be really grateful that it wasn't Theodore, or even Pansy who was sent to get you."

The two boys sat up, startled, and looked up at Blaise.

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked, annoyed that they were woken up.

"Your father is here."

"Father? Why is he here? Did something happen - with my mother?" Draco was out of bed and magically clothed within seconds, and was about to run out of the room when Tiger grabbed his wrist.

"Draco, calm down. Your father is here: that means he is okay. And your mum is here as well. I talked to her yesterday."

"You… Is she with Severus?" Draco asked, after he had deciphered what Tiger meant.

"Draco." Tiger looked at him, shocked, then indicated that they weren't alone.

"Don't worry. Blaise knows."

"Oh. And here I thought-"

"No, I'm not a dense Gryffindor who blabs out secrets in front of an unwanted audience."

"Hey! What do you mean by that?"

"Just what I said, my little Gryffindor; just what I said." Draco patted Tiger's cheek mockingly before he left the room.

"Bastard," Tiger growled, and followed Draco to the door, magically clothing himself, too.

-------

When Severus Snape opened the door to his private chambers, Tiger and Draco found Lucius and Narcissa sitting on the couch.

"Enter," Snape said.

"Morning, Severus."

"Morning, Sir."

"Boys."

The two boys entered the chamber, and Draco went over to greet his parents. Tiger strolled in behind him, smiled at Narcissa, and shook Lucius' hand.

"Hello, boys," Lucius said, gesturing for the boys to sit down.

"Father, why are you here? What happened?" Draco asked, a bit concerned.

"I had an interesting conversation with one of my contacts. He had overheard Avery and Nott talking about an incident that had occurred Monday night in the Slytherin common room. Can either of you can tell me anything about that?"

Tiger and Draco looked at each other, then Draco turned to his father.

"We had a little discussion because of a potions incident. Why does Mr. Nott know about that? And what exactly did he speak about?"

"Obviously his son – Theodore, was it?"

Draco nodded in affirmation.

"Theodore told him that you had an argument." Lucius turned to Tiger.

"We just had a little chat about nothing in particular." Tiger smiled at Lucius.

"What exactly did you talk about?" Snape asked.

"I think it's best you tell us everything that happened that evening."

Flashback

When Tiger entered the common room after his first detention, he was surprised to find all the sixth year Slytherins still up. It looked like they had been having some kind of discussion. Draco sat in 'his' armchair surrounded by Blaise, Millicent, Crabbe, and Goyle, and facing Pansy and Theodore Nott. Pansy looked like she was about to cry, and from what Tiger could see of Draco's face, the blond was fuming. It would seem to anyone else that he was a bit angry, but Tiger saw the gleam in his silver blue eyes, on which he had been on the receiving end many, many times in the past.

"Tell me again, Pansy," Draco began in a seemingly calm voice, but everyone knew what it meant when a Malfoy spoke in such a tone. "Whatever made you poison me?"

"I- I n- never meant t- to harm you, D- Draco," Pansy stuttered in a fearful tone. "It was meant to hit only the G- Gryffindor queer. How could I know your little boy-" Pansy stopped dead, noticing Tiger standing at the door for the first time. Tiger suppressed a growl at this comment. He made his way over to Draco.

"My what?" Draco sneered.

"Maybe she wanted to say your little boyfriend? Boytoy?" Tiger stopped beside Draco's chair, resting a hand on his shoulder. Draco hadn't turned around, his gaze still resting on Pansy. But when Tiger squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, he felt the blond relax slightly.

"I- I- I never- Draco, please, you know I wouldn't say anything like that. I know you wouldn't do such a disgusting thing."

"What disgusting thing are you talking about?" Tiger asked, sweetly innocent. Inwardly he was fuming at Pansy's brazenness.

"You know what I mean," Pansy responded to Draco, ignoring Tiger. "…" She wanted to say more, but the look Draco gave her stopped her from doing so.

"I don't know if you already discussed this topic," Tiger filled the silence which had fallen upon them after Pansy stopped talking. "Why, exactly, did you sabotage Seamus potion?"

"Seamus?" Nott spat. The boy had been silently watching the discussion until now, but at Tiger's familiarity with Seamus' first name, he couldn't withhold his comments any longer. "Are you sure you're a Slytherin, and not a filthy Gryffindork?"

"How dare you?" Draco jumped up from his seat, wand in hand, pointing it at Nott, who had his wand raised as well. Tiger took a slow step forward and stopped midway between Draco and Theodore, facing the latter.

"I've never been a Gryffindor, or a Hufflepuff, or a Ravenclaw, at that, but if risking a fellow student's health and insulting a housemate is what it means to be a Slytherin, than I really don't know whether I'm in the right house."

The common room felt deathly silent after that comment.

"Draco told me a bit about the four houses before I came to Hogwarts, and the first thing I realized was that I would fit in all four of them perfectly. I think myself brave and loyal, studious and cunning. After the Sorting Hat put me into Slytherin, I thought I would have to neglect some of my characteristics; but then I heard the speech Professor Snape gave the new students. The first thing I noticed was that every single Slytherin was present at his speech, although most of them had probably heard it for years, already.

And then I heard what Snape said. Obviously Slytherin is a big, loving family with some discrepancies within these walls, but outside you stick together like nothing else. But then I experienced for myself how you stab each other in the back. And I thought cowardice was just a rumour for one of a Slytherin's characteristics." Now he looked at Pansy in a disappointed manner.

Pansy looked somewhat ashamedly down at her feet.

Tiger turned back to Draco, and noticed that the blond had put away his wand. When he turned to Nott he saw that the boy had lowered his wand, too, but made no move to put it away. Tiger stared at him, and spat. "No wonder everybody thinks Slytherins are cruel and insidious, when they don't even recoil from harming their own housemates." He turned around and walked back to Draco, who didn't meet his eyes.

What took place next happened so fast, that no one could really recall afterwards what exactly had happened.

"Tiger!" Blaise screamed.

Tiger just had to look where Blaise was looking, to know what was happening. He pushed Draco into his chair, and let himself fall to the floor. A red light missed him by mere inches, and hit the wall at the other end of the common room, where it left a nasty looking brand. Within milliseconds, Tiger was back up on his feet, wand raised, and sending a spell towards Nott, who fell to the floor after the curse hit him.

For a few moments, Tiger was the only one who moved. He walked over to Theodore, his eyes never leaving the other boy's which looked, horror stricken, up at him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Pansy standing there stunned, watching Tiger approach Nott. Everybody else was speechless as well. Draco sat in his chair, mouth open, staring at Tiger's retreating back.

When Tiger stopped over Theodore he looked down a moment longer before extending his hand, in a gesture to help the other boy up.

Nott looked a bit sceptically at Tiger before he grabbed the offered hand, and pulled himself up. Instead of letting go of Nott's hand after the Slytherin was standing again, Tiger pulled him closer and hissed in his ear.

"Don't underestimate me ever again, or you'll wish you'd never got to know me. I won't refrain from using my wand against whoever tries to hex me or my friends." He smiled sweetly, but his eyes burned with repressed anger. He handed Nott his wand, then turned and went to the dormitory.

Flashback end

"I don't know if anything happened afterwards," Tiger concluded, and turned questioningly towards Draco.

"Nothing happened after that. Nott and Pansy retired to a corner of the common room, and ignored us."

"Be careful around him," Lucius warned. "I don't trust the father, and I wouldn't trust the son, either."

"Do you think they would tell Voldemort something? Do you think they suspect something?" Tiger asked concerned.

"I don't know; but to be sure just be careful around Theodore." Lucius replied.

After that was cleared up, the five ate a late lunch in Snape's chambers. Later, the residents of Hogwarts told the visitors about what had been happening at Hogwarts.

Severus told them that he had a new assistant, thanks to a bet between Tiger and Draco.

"What bet?" Lucius asked, curiously.

So Draco and Tiger told him about the bet…

"And you lose fifteen points every lesson for being in incomplete uniform?" Lucius wondered. "Then Slytherin must have negative points, already."

"Yes, and no," Tiger smiled. "I earn at least twenty points every lesson for my good work."

"But no one else gave you detention?" Narcissa asked, with a sideward glance at Severus.

"Nobody but Professor Snape," Tiger answered. "But that's only because Draco is a cheating idiot. He told his godfather about the bet, and just because of that our dear Potions Master rewarded me with one hour of detention for every day I'm without a uniform. And in his two replacement lessons for Re- Eh… For Professor Lupin's Advanced Defence class yesterday and the day before, he gave me two extra hours, although he had already given me my daily hour in Potions."

"I had to punish you because Lupin wasn't there to do it himself," The Potions Master defended himself boringly.

"He wouldn't have given me detention. He hadn't even taken points from me on Monday." Tiger said, standing up and glaring at Snape a bit too harshly. But after a small warning look from Lucius, he looked away and began to pace.

"I told you I wouldn't take points from my own house. Anyway, you already spent more than one hour each day with me before I gave you those extra hours," Snape stated matter-of-factly.

"That isn't the point." Tiger countered childishly, continuing his pacing. "I didn't deserve the extra detention, and you had no right to give me them." He pouted when he saw all three Malfoys and Professor Snape smile knowingly at him.

"You know, Tiger," Lucius said, standing up and putting a hand on Tiger's shoulder, "when you pout like that, you remind me of Draco when he doesn't get what he wants."

"Hey!" Draco jumped up, and looked at his father indignantly.

"Add that to your spectacular Malfoy smirk, and I'd think you two were brothers," Lucius continued, ignoring his son's protest.

"God, no," Tiger exclaimed, disgusted.

"What, am I not good enough to be your brother?" Draco asked, hurt.

"I thank Merlin and all the gods there are that we're not blood related in any way," Tiger answered honestly, and stepped closer to Draco. "Just the thought that I've snogged my brother more than once – and also done more than that," he added in a whisper, as he leaned closer to Draco, "would make me rethink my sexual orientation." Everyone looked at Tiger, shocked, after that, and Draco's face had gone a nice shade of red.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, everybody, I'd like to visit my Defence Professor, for I have some urgent questions concerning the curriculum for this year." Without waiting for a reply, Tiger turned around and left Snape's chambers.

-------

It wasn't really for the curriculum that Tiger wanted to see Professor Lupin, but he thought it a good enough excuse for Narcissa and Snape.

In fact, he wanted to see whether Remus was all right. For the last three days, nobody had seen the Defence Professor because of the full moon, which had been two nights ago; and for the day before and the day after, Remus wasn't able to teach. Sometimes he was even too weak to walk around much, and preferred to spend the whole full moon phase in his bed.

Now it was the second day after the full moon, and Tiger still hadn't seen Remus. It could have been because Tiger hadn't been at breakfast and lunch today, but still the boy didn't know whether or not Remus had been there himself.

So that was why the young Slytherin was now standing in front of Remus' private chambers, and was about to knock when a voice spoke behind him.

"I missed you at breakfast and lunch. Did you sleep in that long?"

Tiger spun around, to be faced with a smiling Defence Professor.

"Remus- Eh… I mean, Professor Lupin." He lowered his head and bit his lower lip hard, for his slip.

"I told you to call me Remus when we're not in class. Unless, of course, you want to talk to your Defence teacher?" he said, while he opened the door to his private rooms, and then invited Tiger in.

"Well, that's the excuse I gave Draco and the others to get away from them." He sat down on the couch facing Remus, who had seated himself in an armchair opposite the boy. At his questioning look, Tiger went on. "We were in Snape's-"

"Professor Snape," Remus corrected with a smile, obviously not really caring what Tiger called the Potions Master.

"Severus," Tiger countered, and they both smiled. "Lucius and Narcissa were there, too."

Remus' smile died at Tiger's last statement, nearly dropping the tea pot which he had conjured, and from which he was serving Tiger with tea.

"He is here?" He asked in a cold voice. Tiger looked at him, confused, before it dawned on him why Remus reacted like he did.

"Oh. I thought you knew about him being a spy for Dumbledore. He told me why he had worked for Voldemort, and how he came to spying for the Light."

"I know he's a spy, and is one of the 'good' guys now; or so he pretends, anyway."

The last was mutter so quietly that Tiger nearly missed it. But because he had been watching Remus intently, he half heard and half read the reply from his lips.

"Do you think he's lying?" He asked, a bit hurt. "Do you think Professor Dumbledore wouldn't know if someone was trying to deceive him? He trusts Lucius."

"He wouldn't allow Lucius to take care of you if he couldn't trust him." Remus said as if he was trying to convince himself.'

Tiger's mouth fell open. He had to think, and think fast, to come up with a good answer.

"Professor Dumbledore knew that Lucius knew my mum and Dad. He was my parents' closest friend before they left for America. After my uncle's death, Professor Dumbledore brought me to the Malfoys, and Lucius didn't hesitate a second before taking me in." There was an uncomfortable silence while Tiger tried hard not to look too ashamed for his lie, and mot to turn away from Remus' probing gaze.

After a while the werewolf smiled, and spoke. "Why are you here, anyway? Don't you have anywhere else to be on a Saturday evening than drinking tea with your teacher? I remember from my time at school, and all the rumours I heard, that the first Saturday of the school year there was always a party in the Slytherin common room."

"It had to be postponed until next Saturday because of a little explosion in the common room this morning."

"What happened?" Remus asked curiously, when he saw the big smile on Tiger's face.

"Obviously the twins tried to 'improve' one of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' products, and it went a bit wrong. I think they didn't know that Fred and George had placed their products under a spell which stops their customers from finding out the 'secret of their success', and to prevent unauthorized people from experimenting with their products."

"You know a lot about all this. Do you know the Weasley twins that well, that you know that much?" Remus asked. He had this knowing glint in his eyes again, and Tiger had to choose his words carefully.

"I visited their shop, and we talked about their products. I have some knowledge in this kind of business myself, so we discussed some of their ideas. But enough about twins, exploding common rooms, or myself." Tiger's voice became a serious undertone. "How are you feeling? The full moon was two days ago, but I hadn't seen you, so I thought I'd come around and see how you are."

"Thank you for your concern." Remus smiled at him. "I'm feeling fine, today. Yesterday I was very tired, but after a good night's rest, I am as good as ever."

"That's good to hear." Tiger smiled. "I already feared Professor Snape would have to teach us on Monday again."

"So that's why you came around: you just wanted to know whether you were released from your greasy replacement teacher? And here I thought you wanted to visit your poor old Professor."

"Ha! You're neither poor nor old. You're the same age my uncle was, and he would have accompanied me and my friends to parties if I had allowed him to. And poor is a word you can delete from your vocabulary after the amount of money you've inherited."

"How do you know about that?" Remus asked suspiciously. He still wasn't one hundred percent sure whether his suspicions were correct and this boy in front of him was really Harry Potter, but he knew if it was he, then he would have to be really patient, and maybe a bit sneaky to find it out once and for all.

"I was there at Gringotts. I heard you talking about it."

"Right," Remus nodded, accepting Tiger/Harry's answer. 'But I will get you some day,' he thought, while he tried to suppress a yawn. "Sorry," he mumbled sleepily.

"No, I'm sorry," Tiger answered, and stood up. "You still need sleep to recover from your transformation. I'll see you tomorrow." He turned and walked to the door.

"Oh, and Harry?"

"Yes?" Tiger said, turning around, but froze midway when he realized what had just happened. Slowly he looked up at Remus and found him walking over to him, his eyes gleaming with tears of joy. He took the last step up to the boy, and laid his hand on Tiger's cheek.

"I've hoped and prayed my instincts wouldn't play a nasty trick on me. I've smelled Harry in you the first day we met, at Gringotts, but I wouldn't have dared to hope. I told myself it came from Ron and Hermione, and from the letter you wrote to us. Then at the funeral I just wanted it to be you because I couldn't cope losing the last of my pack. Moony wouldn't believe that his cup was lost forever."

"It was around the full moon," Tiger said in a low voice. He grabbed the hand on his cheek and cradled it in his hands, then he looked back up at Remus. "The day of the funeral; it was only two days before the full moon."

Remus nodded. "My instincts were at their highest, and when I smelled you… I tried to tell myself that of course I would smell Harry Potter, because it was his funeral, but Moony noticed that something wasn't right. Somehow, he knew that you were still alive."

"It must have pained you when I told you I wasn't Harry."

"I felt my heart break again, and Moony howled inside of me."

"I'm sorry," Tiger whispered, and a single tear wandered down his cheek. Remus lifted his free hand and caught the tear before it reached the boy's lips.

"You helped me, that day. When we talked about Sirius, and about our past, it reminded me of all the good memories. And then you made Ron and Hermione give me Sirius' diary."

"The book." Tiger hadn't forgotten about it, but had thought it would take a long while before he had a chance to read it. But maybe now that he had revealed himself to Remus, he could read it sooner.

"I haven't read it yet." Remus said when he saw Tiger's eyes shine at the mentioning of the book. He walked over to his desk and grabbed a book from one of the drawers. He cuddled it to his chest and walked over to Tiger. "When Ron and Hermione gave it to me, my first intention was to read it right that instant. But I told myself to wait, and read it at home. The moment I was back at Grimmauld Place I sat down and started reading. But I never read more than the first page, because there was this nagging feeling in the back of my mind. It wasn't meant for me to read; not at first, at least. That's what Sirius had written on the first page. You, Harry, could share these memories with others, but the first read through should be yours alone. So I stopped myself from reading further, because I thought that if I read it before you had the chance to, I'd have accepted the fact that you were dead after all."

"You mean you've had the book all these weeks and haven't read it?" Tiger looked at him disbelievingly.

"Oh, I read it; nearly every day for the first two weeks."

"But-"

"I just read the first page - over and over again - until I knew the contents inside and out." Remus laid the book in Tiger's hands. "Here. It's yours."

Tiger took the book and stroked fondly over the cover, but then he gave it back to Remus.

"I can't take it."

"Why not?"

"No one may know who I am. If someone finds the book in my possession, I'm as good as dead. After all, I'm in Slytherin now."

"A fact which made me wonder if I was wrong after all. How did that happen? How did that all happen?" So Tiger told Remus everything. From the moment when Lucius and Draco came to Privet Drive and rescued him, about Harry Potter's death and Tiger Ryan's birth, up until the Sorting, and what the Sorting Hat had told him this time, and at his first Sorting. The two had found their way back to the couch, and were now sitting beside each other, looking down at the book in Tiger's lap.

"His whole family was Slytherin, you know? He was the white sheep in the Black family." Remus smiled faintly at his late friend's joke.

"That's exactly what Narcissa said." Tiger smiled back, but his smile faded when he saw Remus' face harden at the mention of Narcissa's name. "Is there something wrong, Remus?"

"No, nothing's wrong." He feigned a smile, but it never reached his eyes.

"What is your problem with Narcissa?"

"I have no problem with her," Remus replied harshly.

"Oh, of course not." Tiger's voice was filled with sarcasm. "Nor with Lucius, either." He watched as Remus winced as the elder Malfoy was mentioned. "What happened between you? Is it because he was a Death Eater? Did something happen while you were still at school? Or is it because of Sirius? Because of Narcissa's relationship to him? If that's it, you should know that they were friends once. It had to end when Sirius came to Hogwarts."

"Because he was a Gryffindor," Remus spat, but Tiger's answer surprised him.

"No, because Narcissa was a Slytherin. She never wanted to be a Slytherin, and she never wanted to break the contact with Sirius, but she had to."

"Of course," Remus said sarcastically, "and she never wanted to marry Lucius, and she never-"

Is that it?" Tiger interrupted, confused. "Is that the reason why you don't like them? Because they're married? Did you love her?"

"No!" Remus' exclamation startled Tiger. The man had jumped up from the couch and glared down at Tiger a moment longer. Then he turned his head away, and spoke in a broken voice. "It's better you go now."

"What?" Tiger asked, hurt.

"It's late. I'm tired. Please go."

"But I want to read the book."

"You can come back tomorrow. Just go, now." Remus walked over to the window and looked at the night sky. Tiger watched him a moment longer, then walked out of the room without another word.

It would take nearly three weeks before Tiger could go back to Remus' chambers and have the opportunity to read Sirius' diary.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	21. Sometimes words can really hurt

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 21 – Sometimes words can really hurt**

Tiger had come back to Remus' quarters first thing the next morning to talk and to read Sirius' diary. But Remus hadn't been there. He hadn't been in the Great Hall either, when Tiger went to breakfast. The moment he entered the Hall, an owl flew over to him and landed on his shoulder. It held out its leg, and Tiger removed the letter from it, patting the owl before it left.

Curious, Tiger opened the letter immediately and read:

'Dear Tiger,

I'm sorry to say that you can't come to my rooms today, as we had planned. I hope you aren't too disappointed. We will meet at a later date, I promise.

Remus'

Disappointed, Tiger walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down beside Draco, who was the only other sixth year Slytherin at the table except Blaise, with whom he was talking when Tiger arrived – and stole a toast from the blond's plate. Deep in thought, he nibbled on it, and didn't notice Draco when the boy tried to get his attention. Only when the blond waved his hand in front of his face, did Tiger look at him.

"What?" He asked, surprised.

"What's wrong with you, Tiger?" Draco asked, concerned.

"Nothing. Why do you think something is wrong?"

"I don't know; maybe because you haven't spoken a word to me since yesterday? You came back late last night, and when I asked where you'd been so long, you just crawled under the blanket, cuddled close to me, and fell asleep."

"You could have said that you didn't want me so close to you," Tiger answered, a bit hurt.

"I never said that," Draco exclaimed, then lowered his voice and leant closer to Tiger. "And this morning you were out of bed before I even woke up. I missed waking up with you in my arms."

"You'd have stayed only a few minutes anyway before you'd rush off to the bathroom to 'relieve' yourself. Sorry to have spoiled your morning fantasies." With that, Tiger stood up and left the Great Hall, leaving a shocked Draco and a giggling Blaise behind.

"Did we have a little lover's spat?" Blaise asked, amused.

"Oh, shut up." Draco rose from his place and stormed out of the hall. He was about to walk down to the dungeons, when he saw Tiger vanish up the stairs. He turned, and followed the other boy.

Tiger walked aimlessly up the stairs, not looking where he was going, when he stepped into one of the trick steps. He would have fallen, if it weren't for two strong hands grabbing his shoulders. Looking up, surprised, he found himself in the arms of Seamus Finnegan.

"Hi." The young Gryffindor smiled, as he helped Tiger out of the trick step, to stand beside him.

"Oh. Hi. And thanks." Tiger smiled, slightly ashamed. "I didn't look where I was going."

"Don't worry. After a few weeks here, you'll skip the false stairs automatically. Where are you going, anyway?" Seamus asked curiously. "Some secret rendezvous with a Gryffindor who isn't me?"

"What?" Tiger asked, confused, then he noticed that his feet had brought him all the way up to the seventh floor. "Oh. I hadn't noticed."

"That's what I thought." Seamus held out one arm invitingly. "May I escort you down to the Great Hall, monsieur? Couldn't risk letting you trip again, and possibly hurt your beautiful face."

"No, we couldn't risk that." Tiger smiled warmly and hooked his arm into Seamus'. "But not to the Great Hall. The Entrance Hall is as far as our ways are similar."

"Then I'm sure we will meet a lot in the future, because the Entrance Hall has the heaviest traffic in the school."

The two walked down the stairs, not noticing the blond boy standing on the landing to the third floor.

-------

In the Entrance Hall, Tiger and Seamus parted ways after they had talked for awhile, oblivious of their surroundings, and then Tiger went down to the dungeons. At the entrance to the Slytherin common room, he met Blaise.

"Where is Draco?" Blaise asked, as Tiger stopped beside him.

"I don't know." Tiger replied, confused. "He was with you when I left the Hall."

"But he went after you the minute you left."

"Maybe he went back to the common room?"

"No, I've looked there already. He wasn't there in the dorm, either."

"Then he could be outside, or with Professor Snape. Don't worry. He'll turn up sooner or later."

"Don't you even care if he's alright?" Blaise asked angrily.

"Why shouldn't he be okay?" Tiger asked, confused.

"Maybe because of what you said to him earlier? You really shouldn't have been so rough."

"What did I do?" Tiger sounded a bit worried. He had been angry after Remus' letter, and he hadn't really listened to what Draco had said to him. "What did I say to him?" he asked worriedly.

"You don't remember?"

"I was angry. I wasn't really listening to him. I just wanted to be left alone."

"You accused him of just wanting you near him so that he could get a good morning wank."

"What?" Tiger asked, shocked.

"Well, not with so many words, but yes."

"Fuck." Tiger leaned against the door and hid his head in his hands.

"Fuck, indeed. And what was that with Finnigan, anyway?" Tiger looked at Blaise, confused, so the other boy explained. "You came down the stairs with linked arms, and then you two talked and laughed in the entrance Hall as if you were best friends. He's a Gryffindor."

"Oh, for god's sake. Not you, too." Tiger threw his hands in the air, and glared at Blaise. "I don't care about Slytherin/Gryffindor rivalry. They haven't said anything against me, and I won't treat them like scum just because of a stupid tradition."

"Calm down, Tiger. I didn't mean it like that." Blaise held his hands up in surrender. "I just meant you and Seamus seemed very familiar with each other. Maybe a bit too familiar?"

"Oh, god. Don't be stupid. Just because we came down with linked arms doesn't mean we've shagged."

"Yet," came an annoyed voice from behind Tiger.

"Draco?" Blaise said, surprised. When Tiger turned to the blond, Draco was already through the entrance of the common room.

"Draco, wait." Tiger grabbed his hand, trying to stop him, but Draco yanked his hand free.

"Don't touch me, Ryan," he snapped, and went on down the corridor to their dorm.

"Wait!" Tiger ran after him, and grabbed his hand again just inside their dorm room door.

"Let's talk." Tiger let go of Draco when he stopped struggling.

"No!" Draco answered icily, and turned around. Before he vanished again, Tiger wrapped an arm around his waist and held him back. For a moment Draco froze, then he turned around and pushed Tiger from him with all his force. "How dare you!" He glared at the other boy but didn't even try to walk away when Tiger approached him again.

With a push of his own, Tiger surprised Draco, and shoved him up against the wall next to the door, pinning him there with his hands against Draco's shoulder.

"Would you please listen to me now?" He asked, annoyed, his eyes pleading with Draco to hear him out.

Draco glared at him for a moment, but after looking at those big, pleading eyes, he turned his head away so that Tiger wouldn't see his expression falter.

Inwardly cheering, Tiger smiled slightly when he noticed Draco melting under his look. He loosened his grip on Draco's shoulders and took a small step forward. He let one hand wander to Draco's chest, still lightly pressing him against the wall. Making sure they were alone in the room, he used his other hand to close the door, and put a silencing and locking charm on it. Then he grabbed Draco's chin softly, to turn his head around until they faced each other again. Tiger's thumb stroked softly over one cheek while he spoke.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier this morning. I got a letter from Remus. He knows who I really am."

Draco's eyes went wide in shock. He wanted to say something, but Tiger put his thumb over his slightly parted lips.

"Don't worry," Tiger said, letting his thumb stroke softly over Draco's lips, causing the blond to close his eyes, enjoying the tender touch, "he won't betray my trust."

Draco's eyes opened again and looked at Tiger questioningly, as if to ask why he was angry, if it wasn't because of Remus knowing.

"You remember the journal Ron and Hermione gave Remus the day of my funeral?" The blonde boy nodded. "He gave it to me, but I had to leave it with him because I couldn't risk it being found in my possession."

Draco looked confused, not getting what Tiger wanted to say with that statement.

"He promised me that I could come back today to read the book, but then I got a letter from him saying that I couldn't come. I was just angry. He had more or less thrown me out yesterday, but he still said I could come. And now he isn't even brave enough to come to me and tell me that I can't come. He's avoiding me, and I don't know why. I'm sorry that I took it out on you."

"Apology accepted," Draco said softly, before his tone became icy again. "Now would you please let me go? I don't want to be so close to you at the moment."

"What?" Shocked, Tiger took a step back and looked at Draco with wide eyes.

"It might be in your Gryffindor nature-"

"Hey!"

"-but I don't like it when a fellow Slytherin pulls such a stunt, especially with a Gryffindor."

"What are you talking about?"

"The little show you and Finnigan put on in the Entrance Hall. And from what I heard of your conversation with Blaise, he was fooled by your act."

"And what if that 'act' wasn't one? What would Mr. Slytherin say if I were involved with a Gryffindor? You know, Seamus is a really nice guy, and I know for sure that he wouldn't say no if I'd asked."

"Would you?" Draco asked in a small voice.

"Would I what?"

"Say no to Finnigan."

"I don't know. He is good looking and he is really charming." Tiger said in a dreamy voice, totally missing Draco's hurt look. He took a step back and began to pace, revelling in memories. "You know, he made a go at me once last year, just before Sirius died." He paused a moment, remembering the dreadful day at the Ministry. "We met once and he kissed me then, too. I didn't mind at the time. But after Sirius' death I didn't want to have anything to do with anyone. Sometime later Seamus lost his interest, I think." He trailed of a bit, sad, and turned back to Draco, just to find the blond gone.

-------

It took Tiger nearly the whole day to find Draco. He had searched everywhere he could think of that Draco might be, before he remembered the Marauders Map. He went back to the sixth year's dorm, and retrieved the map from his trunk.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he said, and tipped his wand to the parchment. Immediately all of Hogwarts' corridors and secret passages appeared on the previously blank parchment. It took him nearly ten minutes to find Draco, in a place that the map couldn't point out as a room or a corridor. It was halfway between the dungeons and the ground floor, maybe fifty feet away from the Slytherin common room, and deeper down in the dungeons.

"That must be a secret passage the Marauders never found," Tiger mused. "But how will I get there?" That was a question he had to find out on his own. So Tiger cleared the map, put it in his pocket, and went on his way to search for Draco.

It took him only a few minutes to find the place the map had shown him, but he had no idea where the entrance to the secret room might be. So he opened the map once again, and searched for a hint. This time he found Draco's dot quite quickly, and only a few feet away, he found his own name. He watched the map for a moment for other people around, but found no one. He then stared at the wall nearest to Draco's dot, and felt for a potential hidden hole.

"Isn't he a pretty one?" Tiger's head snapped around, looking for the owner of the voice, but found no one. Another look on the map confirmed to him that nobody was near him. He went back to searching the wall.

"But what is he doing here?" another voice asked, but still Tiger couldn't see a soul.

"Do you think he is looking for the Dragon?"

'Dragon?' Tiger thought. This time he fought his curiosity and didn't turn around, but kept an eye on the map.

"Shh. Don't call him that in front of the human."

"You know he can't understand our language."

'Human? Our Language?' Slowly it dawned on Tiger what, exactly, was talking about him. He turned his head slightly towards where the voices came from, and out of the corner of his eye he could see a portrait of an old, dark-looking castle surrounded by mountains. In the front of the painting was a small rock out of which two snake-heads appeared through a small hole in the stone. Without them noticing, Tiger turned back to the wall and continued his search, hoping he would get some information from the snakes without outing himself as a parselmouth.

"Of course you're right, as always."

"What do you think? How long will it take him before he surrenders, and leaves?"

"I don't know. I know the Dragon was here for nearly an hour before he found the entrance."

"But remember, he knew what to look for. He always muttering to himself about 'three left, one up' until he found his way in."

Tiger inwardly cheered them on to go on. Because of that, he wasn't really paying attention to what he was doing when his hand stroked over something sharp that was jutting out from the wall.

"Damn!" He pulled his hand back, and found it bleeding where the stone had cut him.

"Yes. He didn't know where to start. He searched for nearly an hour before he found the sharp stone. He even cut his hand on it once, but then he lost it when he looked after his hand."

Tiger had stopped cradling his hand when he heard the snake speak about just the one stone where he had cut his hand a few minutes ago. Carefully he put his hand back on the wall and searched for the sharp stone. He found it when it again cut in his hand, but this was irrelevant now. He counted three stones left and one up and pressed his unhurt hand against it. Nothing happened.

"Blood was shed on your way to your doom

"Blood will give you access to this room,"

The two snakes chanted together, then began to laugh and mock Tiger that he would never find the way in.

Smiling to himself, Tiger's right hand came up and rested against the wall beside his left.

Immediately he felt his blood being drawn into the wall, and he pulled away to find a wet spot where his injured hand had pressed against it. He watched the wet spot expand until it was as big as a door.

Carefully he reached a hand out to the wall. Instead of solid stone, he felt only a waterfall-like wall through which he could step through.

"Look. Look. He has opened the door," one of the snakes said. "Just up the stairs now, and he will be in the Dragon's lair."

"He still has to say the password, 'Dragonheart', before he can enter the room. We will see him again soon, I'm sure."

Tiger smiled, and stepped through the doorway. Behind him, he could still hear the snakes talking.

"Or not. We will know if he gets inside, if the passage closes again. Until then, we will wait."

After he had stepped through the wall, Tiger stood in a candle-lit corridor. In front of him was a spiral staircase leading up to a single door. Slowly he went up the stairs until he stood in front of the door. Just then he noticed that the door had no handle, or anything else which could be used as such. He turned around, and looked down the stairs. He could still see the wall through which he had entered the secret passageway. As on the other side the wall, it looked as if there was a big wet spot. Turning back around, he took a deep breath and spoke the password. "Dragonheart."

A doorknob appeared on the previously blank wooden door, but Tiger hesitated. "What should I say to him? Why am I here? Does he want me to be here?" These questions were running through his head. He debated with himself whether he should enter the room, or just leave again. But when he looked back down to the secret entrance, he found the wall solid once again. There was only one way to go. He laid a hand on the handle and pushed it down. With a soft click, the door sprang forward a bit, and Tiger pushed it open just wide enough for him to slip into the room.

After he had closed the door again, Tiger got his first good look at the room. "Wow." The room was bathed in red light coming from the left corner, where a big fireplace, flanked by comfy chairs and a sofa were located. Then there was a bookcase with all sorts of books, and a desk full of writing materials. The best and most eye-catching piece of furniture in the room was the big mahogany four poster bed. It had green hangings, and silver bed sheets. Except for the light from the fireplace, there was nearly no other light in the room. Because of that, the right side of the room where the bed stood was nearly totally dark. But the bed itself was illuminated by a soft golden light that seemed to have its source in the bed itself.

On top of the silver sheets, curled up in a little ball, was Draco. He was sleeping peacefully, but when Tiger approached the bed he could see a quill, an ink bottle, and parchment laying half under the blond. His potions book had fallen to the floor. The ink bottle was closed, but there was a small ink spot where the quill lay.

Carefully Tiger retrieved the bottle, the quill, and the parchment. He read the few lines of Draco's essay. Most of it was crossed out, until it eventually ended in a big ink spot. He laid everything on top of the bedside table before he sat down beside the sleeping blond. He watched Draco for a long while before he reached out a hand and softly stroked the blond's cheek.

Immediately a smile appeared on the boy's features and he leaned into the touch, but didn't wake up.

Tiger smiled faintly and leaned down to Draco, kissing his forehead before he sat beck up. "I really don't know what I've done wrong this time. Sometimes I'm really dense, I know that. But I swear I didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered, not wanting to wake Draco up. "I know you're too proud to show your hurt to anyone, and I know you will never tell me what I did wrong, but I hope you will accept my apology when I give it to you when you come back down." He leant down once again to Draco, this time kissing his cheek. "Sleep well, my Dragon," he whispered, before he stood up and left the room.

The moment the door closed behind him Draco opened his eyes, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Apology accepted. But don't think that means forgiven and forgotten." He turned onto his other side and fell back into a slight slumber, all the time thinking about the former Gryffindor who was probably still sitting at the foot of the stairs because he didn't know how to leave the secret passageway.

-------

For the last thirty minutes Tiger had been trying to open the damned entrance, but he had no success. Defeated, he sat down on the stairs to wait for Draco to wake up and come down.

-------

When Draco left the room late that evening, he wasn't really surprised when he found Tiger sitting on the steps, head against the wall, obviously fast asleep. He had heard the boy swearing for about a half hour when Tiger had left him lying on the bed, but he'd had no intention of going down to help him out.

It was now more than an hour after he had heard the last of Tiger's defeated sighs. He had taken his time to get ready and go. To be precise, he had first finished his potions essay before he had packed his things and left the room. He braced himself before he took the remaining steps down, accidentally bumping against the sleeping boy.

"Draco?" Tiger asked sleepily.

"Is the Slytherin dorm not good enough for you to sleep in, that you prefer to sleep on the steps?" He said all that in a sneering tone, with his back to Tiger. Then he straightened himself even more before he said "Open up," and with a little smirk over his shoulder, he stepped through the wall and vanished from Tiger's view.

"I'm so screwed," Tiger mumbled to himself while he stood up. "He will never let me live this one down. Open up," he added, and followed Draco through the wall.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	22. reconciliation

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 22 – reconciliation**

It took Tiger two weeks to get Draco to totally forgive him for his behaviour on Sunday. In front of everyone else, the blond was his typical sneering and charming self - always considering whom he was with, of course - but when they were alone he always had a biting comment for Tiger. They still slept in the same bed, though, and Tiger still made Draco leave hurriedly to the bathroom every morning. He even put more effort into his little 'morning cuddling' than usual to get on Draco's good side again, but other than that, there was no physical contact between them in any way. Draco didn't even wait up for Tiger to come back from his 'detentions' with Snape. Only when Draco fell asleep in the common room on the second Thursday after their fight, did things change again.

Tiger didn't hesitate for a second before he closed the book the blond had been reading, put it to the side, and picked the boy up in his arms, carrying him to their dorm. He magically unclothed the two of them down to their boxers and lay them down on Draco's bed, the blond still cradled close to him. Ever since their fight it had been Tiger who had laid in Draco's arms, but tonight the blond shifted even closer to Tiger when they lay down. Softly stroking the other boy's back, Tiger hoped that would be a sign that Draco had forgiven him for good.

-------

The blond boy had forgiven Tiger after that night, but there still was something between them that Tiger couldn't name.

"One good thing came out of all this after all," Tiger mused while he sat in Defense Against The Dark Arts watching Remus ignore him for all he was worth. "My problems with Draco have been a good distraction from my problems with Remus."

The two hadn't spoken more than a few words in the last two weeks. Every time Tiger tried to talk to Remus, the werewolf had another excuse why he had no time for Tiger to visit, or even to talk for a few minutes. Tiger had even gone so far as to get detention from Remus to get time to speak to him, but when the boy had come to the Defence classroom, he had found that it wasn't Remus that was supervising the detention, but Filch. Fortunately, his Professor had already given him an essay to write so that Filch could not make him clean anything.

Yesterday Remus had avoided him once again, but this time Tiger was determined to speak to his professor and friend. The moment the last student left after the class ended, Tiger waved his wand at the door, speaking a locking and silencing charm over it.

"We have to talk," he said to Remus, without looking at him.

"I know," came the direct answer. Surprised, Tiger looked up at the front of the classroom to find Remus sitting at the edge of his desk. He was already looking at him.

" You're not going to try to escape?" Tiger wondered.

"If you've just this much of your mother," he held the thumb and forefinger of his right hand a few inches apart from each other, "then you won't leave me alone until we've talked this through."

"You're right. I won't." Tiger stood up and went to the front of the room, sitting down opposite of Remus on one of the student's desks. "Why have you been avoiding me?" he asked softly, not wanting Remus to shy away again.

"Because it hurts to remember," Remus answered in a whispered voice.

"To remember what? It can't be because of the diary. You told me that you wanted to read it the moment Ron and Hermione gave it to you."

"No, it's not because of Sirius' diary."

"Then what is… Did that have something to do with Narcissa and Lucius?" Tiger asked, when he remembered what had happened just before Remus had thrown him out of his rooms two weeks ago. He didn't miss the slight flinch in Remus' features when he had mentioned the Malfoy's names. "That's it, isn't it?"

Remus didn't answer but lowered his head.

That was all the answer Tiger needed. "What happened?"

"We had a few disagreements in the past. That's all I can tell you."

Tiger wanted to urge Remus to continue to speak, but he resisted his curiosity because he realised that it was a topic that really didn't concern him.

"If I promise not to ask about the Malfoys, may I come visit you again? Maybe we could talk sometimes and read Sirius' diary."

"Of course you can come. I'm sorry that I refused you the opportunity to read the book."

"Thanks." Tiger smiled at Remus just as there was a knock on the door.

"Are we alright again?" Remus asked, only removing the charms from the door when Tiger nodded.

"Enter," he called out to whoever was standing outside.

The door opened, and Draco peered in. "Sorry to interrupt, but there are a bunch of annoying Fifth Years waiting to be taught. Oh, and by the way; I'd like to have this young man back, if you are finished." Draco pointed at Tiger, smirking at both of them.

"Take him away. He can be really persistent, if he wants."

"Hey!" Tiger turned to Remus with a fake hurt look, but his eyes gave him away.

"Come on," Draco said, grabbing Tiger's hand and led him out of the room.

"Goodbye, Professor," he called.

"Goodbye Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Ryan." Remus smiled at them, and the two boys left the room.

"You've kissed and made up, I presume?" Draco asked, as they headed for their next class, still holding Tiger's hand.

"We made up." Tiger stopped all of a sudden, tightened his grip on Draco's hand, and pulled his arm back.

Draco stumbled closer, but Tiger stepped aside and swirled the blond around. With a small "Ow!" Draco's back hit the wall.

Tiger took a step forward so that he was only inches away from Draco. "But we didn't kiss. There is just one pair of lips I want to be placed on mine," he said softly. His breath against Draco's lips made the blond shiver. "Do you want to know who I'm talking about?" He moved closer, so that Draco felt every spoken word against his lips.

"Yes," Draco mouthed, unable to make his voice work, and not daring to nod for fear of losing the tender touch against his lips.

"Seamus," Tiger said joyfully, and took a step back.

"What?" Draco asked, hurt.

"How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," Seamus answered, then he turned to Draco.

"Hello, Malfoy."

"Finnigan." Draco nodded, his Malfoy mask already fully in place again.

"Tiger, tell me, what were you two up to, anyway?" Seamus asked Tiger, ignoring the blond boy.

"I thought it was obvious," Draco retorted, glaring at Seamus, who glared right back.

"Let's walk together to class. I'm sure Professor Snape won't be too harsh with you if you enter with us." Tiger hooked one arm under Seamus', who smiled at Draco triumphantly, and with his other hand he grabbed Draco's again, and the three walked down to the dungeons.

Draco smirked at the angry look Seamus shot at him, swinging his and Tiger's clasped hands just enough for Seamus to see them with every step they took.

Before they entered the Potions classroom, Tiger pulled both his hands back, and turned to Draco. "It's you," he said, and placed a quick kiss on Draco's lips before he entered the classroom.

The two remaining boys looked at each other.

"You won," Seamus stated, a bit disappointed.

"It wasn't a game," Draco answered angrily.

"Then I think it's for the best how it came out. I promise I won't interfere." Seamus followed Tiger through the door, leaving a dumbstruck Slytherin behind.

"Mr. Malfoy; if you'd please?" Snape stood at the door and watched Draco as he entered the room, and sat down beside Tiger. "At last," Snape sneered. "That will be five points from Gryffindor for being late, Mr. Finnegan. Now get to work," the potions master said, before he turned and went to his desk.

Tiger gave Seamus a sympathetic smile before he started his potion of the day.

-------

After class, Draco and Tiger went out of the castle, to the lake.

"Finnigan said he would back off," Draco said, as they sat down in the grass.

"Back off from what?" Tiger asked, confused.

"From hitting on you. He said I won."

"He… you… what?" Tiger jumped up and glared angrily down at the blond. "What did he mean 'you won'? Don't tell me you've bet over me, or something."

"No, no, no." Draco stood up too, and tried to calm Tiger down. "I would never bet on something like that."

"Then what did he mean by that?"

"I don't know. Honestly," Draco added, when Tiger snorted sceptically. "I would never do anything that would hurt your feelings. I really don't know what Finnigan meant by that. Ask him yourself. I swear I wouldn't hurt you in such a way, ever. You're far too important for me to risk what we have."

Draco's declaration calmed Tiger down' "You're sweet," Tiger said with a smile, and kissed Draco's cheek. "Our friendship means a lot to me, too." He sat back down on the grass, feigning ignorance to Draco's disappointed look.

Getting his feelings under control, Draco sat down too, and turned to Tiger. "Are you going to the beginning of the year party on Saturday in the Slytherin common room?"

"Are you sure it will work this time?" Tiger asked, as he remembered the last week's 'punishment' and why the party had to be postponed. "What did you offer the twins to get them to not damage the common room again?"

"Let's say that we had a little agreement within the family."

"You bribed them," Tiger exclaimed, mock shocked.

"Damn right," Draco answered proudly.

Shaking his head amusedly, Tiger said, "I wanted to visit Remus Saturday afternoon, after our wandless magic lesson, but I promise I will come by eventually," he added, when he saw Draco's disappointed look.

Immediately the blond's face lit up. "Do you prefer anything; butterbeer, firewhisky, chocolate, chips in any particular flavour?"

"I like white chocolate," Tiger said, as he leant closer to Draco, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I like it when that pale candy melts on my tongue when I lick it. Or when I wrap my lips around the sweet piece and pull it in and out, sucking on it, and tasting the flavour all around in my mouth." By now Tiger was leaning over Draco, one leg on either side, not touching, supporting himself on his elbows.

The blond was lying flat in the grass, his gaze locked on Tiger's lips.

"What else?" he whispered, as if in trance.

"I also like burning berries. I love the feeling of something hot on my tongue." He licked his lips seductively. Draco moaned softly at the sight. "All that, I would wash down with wish-flavoured beer: after all that licking and sucking, I need something strong and salty to complete the taste

Draco was biting his lip by the time Tiger had finished. He had closed his eyes, and was obviously fighting not to pounce on the other boy here and now.

"Draco, are you all right?" Tiger asked worriedly. He sat back on his heels; mere inches above Draco's groin, and looked down at the blond. "You're all sweaty, and you're breathing as if you've been running for hours. Should I take you to the hospital wing?"

"No," Draco groaned. "I'm alright."

"Are you sure?" Tiger smirked.

"Quite." Draco growled and shoved Tiger off of himself and stood up on unsteady feet. "You're the most evil person I've ever met, Tiger Ryan." He glared down at the smirking boy.

"Don't be mean to me, Dragon." Tiger pouted, but his eyes betrayed his act of innocence. He was about to stand up, but Draco shoved him again, and he landed back on his bottom. "Hey!"

"Go to hell!" Draco said, and stormed off. There was a smile in his voice, though, which reassured Tiger that the blond wasn't too angry.

"But what would you do without me?" Tiger asked. He got to his feet and followed the blond.

"I would live in peace and satisfaction."

"Your right hand would hurt with time," Tiger said, provoking him.

"I'm left-handed," Draco countered coolly. He was halfway back to the castle when Tiger caught up with him. They walked on, side by side.

"What about the cuddling?"

"I'd buy myself a teddybear." He smirked at the boy beside him.

"And the kissing?" Tiger stepped in front of Draco, effectively stopping the blond. "What about the kissing?" he asked again, with a sweet smile on his lips.

Draco seemed to think about it for a while before he answered. "That's not good enough to put up with your constant teasing." He stepped around the dumb-stricken, dark-haired boy, and continued on his way to the castle.

"I'll show you 'not good enough'," Tiger growled, when he had recovered from the shock. He ran after the blond, and tackled him to the ground.

"Ah!" Surprised, Draco landed flat on his stomach, Tiger landing on top of him.

"What was that for?" he asked. But the only answer he got was Tiger turning him around, and attacking his lips in a mind blowing kiss.

After two minutes or so, Tiger released Draco's lips, and sat back on his heels - this time pressing down on Draco's groin. He looked down at the blond, and smiled.

"Was it worth it?"

"Lead the way. Hell, I'm coming."

Laughing, Tiger lay down on Draco and whispered in his ear. "Not here, I hope, or you'd have to explain to your godfather why your robes are all wet and sticky."

"What?" Draco looked confusedly at Tiger, then he followed Tiger's gaze, and saw his godfather and Professor McGonagall staring down at them.

"Sev."

"Mr. Malfoy; Mr. Ryan," Snape sneered at them. McGonagall looked in another direction, looking a bit flushed.

Draco shoved Tiger off of him, and jumped to his feet. Tiger stood slowly and smiled sweetly at Snape.

"Hello, Professor. We just wanted to get some fresh air."

"That I saw, Mr. Ryan. What a nuisance that lessons started again ten minutes ago."

Shit."

"Language, Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall found her voice again.

"Sorry, Professor."

Snape looked Draco up and down. "Draco, go in and make yourself presentable again," he said, before he turned to Tiger.

Blushing, Draco went into the castle.

"You, Mr. Ryan," Snape said to the dark haired boy, "have the pleasure of visiting my office for an extra hour of detention tonight."

"Yes, sir." Tiger lowered his head, seemingly ashamed, but smiling to himself for not really being punished, because he stayed longer than one hour with Snape anyway.

"Off with you, then."

"Yes, sir," Tiger replied.

"Good day, Professor McGonagall," he added.

"Good day, Mr. Ryan."

Tiger walked the first metres to the entrance of the castle slowly before he began to run when he heard McGonagall mention that Snape hadn't taken any points from the boys.

-------

"I don't understand!" Draco exclaimed, defeated, throwing his hands in the air. He watched in amazement as the cushion he was supposed to levitate flew up in the air, hitting the ceiling, and falling back down, right on Tiger's head.

"Hey. What was that for?" He asked mock hurt as he rubbed his head.

"Ha! I did it! It works!"

"Yeah, but do you really want to have to get angry every time you want to use wandless magic?" Remus asked amusedly. It was their first wandless magic class, and Remus was teaching them, or trying, in Draco's case, to levitate things without their wands.

"You don't seem surprised that it worked after all, Professor."

"Draco, I told you to call me Remus while in private lessons."

"Should I let you two alone for your private lesson?" Tiger teased.

"Very funny, Harry."

"Tiger."

"Sorry. It's really hard for me, you know. As a werewolf, I identify people mostly by their smell. And yours says that you are Harry Potter."

"I know, Remus, but it is really important that you learn to call me 'Tiger'. It isn't only me who would be in danger if the secret came out, but also Draco, Narcissa, and especially Lucius would be at great risk. If Voldemort finds out, he'd put two and two together and work out that Lucius is spying for Dumbledore."

"Tiger." Draco looked at him, shocked that the boy had revealed his father's secret.

"Don't worry, Draco," Tiger reassured him, "nobody can hear us in here with the privacy spells up."

"But," the blond nodded towards Remus while the older man wasn't looking.

Tiger followed Draco's head movements and smiled. "Remus knows. And he wouldn't say anything. He wouldn't betray Dumbledore's trust. Even…" He stopped himself before he could say too much.

"Even?" Draco prompted.

"Nothing," Tiger answered. He looked at Remus, who pleaded with his eyes for Tiger not to tell.

Remus smiled, relieved, when Tiger didn't went on.

"To answer your question, Draco," Remus said, effectively bringing the conversation off of the topic, "I wasn't surprised when your wandless magic worked when you were angry. Magic depends on emotions; especially wandless magic. If your emotions rise to a drastic height, positive or negative, your magic becomes hard to handle. You were still lucky with the outcome. It normally would have exploded, or something like that."

"But how did Tiger manage it?"

"Because I know how to handle it," Tiger whispered in Draco's ear, as he passed him on his way to the window.

Draco shivered when he felt Tiger's breath against his skin.

Remus watched the two boys with a sad smile, remembering his own…

'No,' he told himself 'Don't think about it. It's in the past. You have no reason to act like that. It was a good time, but what did you expect - to live happily ever after with…?'

"Remus?"

The werewolf startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked at a concerned Harry - 'No, Tiger.'

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." He smiled faintly. "I think that's enough for today. Practice the levitating, and opening and closing doors for next week." He turned, and began to clean up the room.

"Goodbye, Remus."

"Goodbye, Draco," he answered, without looking around. He sighed in relief when he heard the door close.

"Are you really all right?"

"Goddamn it, Tiger!" Remus jumped around startled.

"Sorry." Tiger smiled sheepishly, and started to help Remus clean up.

Remus returned the smile, and went back to work. "I'm fine," he said eventually. "I just remembered something from my own youth that made me sad."

"What was it?"

"Don't be offended, Tiger, but I think you will learn enough about my schooldays from Sirius' diary, that you can let me keep this secret."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to…"

"No need to apologize," Remus said, as he replaced the last chair in his classroom. "Shall we, then?" he asked, and opened the door for Tiger.

Excited, but also a bit nervous, Tiger exited the room to go to Remus' private chambers.

-------

They had been talking for a while about Tiger's schoolwork and life at Hogwarts, when Remus went to his desk to get Sirius' diary. He gave it to Tiger, and the boy looked at it for a few minutes before he opened it to the first page.

Taking a deep breath, Tiger began to read to himself.

'Dear Harry,

Happy 17th Birthday. I've started writing this journal - it's not a diary because I'm not a girl - when you left Grimmauld Place for your fifth year. There is so much I wanted to tell you, and so little time, that I decided to write it all down.

Originally I wanted to give it to you for Christmas already. But I had so much more to write still, that I decided to give it to you for your birthday.

In this journal you will find all kind of stories about the Marauders and our schooltime in general.

I tried to write it chronologically. It is mostly a summary of our schooldays, but sometimes I switch because there was something I remembered, and wanted to write down immediately.

There is nothing too personal in this book, so you can share it with your friends. And maybe with Remy. I think old Moony could use a few memory-refreshments sometimes.

I have one request, though. I want you to read the journal for yourself first, because there are some topics that you should decide for yourself whether to share, or speak to the person involved about it, before anyone else reads it.

If you have any questions, or want to know more, come to me and I'll tell you everything you want to know.

Once again, Happy Birthday

Love,

Sirius'

As he finished the last sentence, Tiger had tears running down his cheeks.

Remus lay an arm around his shoulder, and pulled him close.

"I miss him so much."

"I know. I miss him, too." Remus held Tiger until his tears had stopped, and the boy had calmed down. Tiger's head lay in Remus lap. He was paging through the book, now.

"Would you read to me?" Tiger asked, in a small voice.

"But Sirius wrote that. You should read it for yourself, first."

"I know you're dieing to read it. I doubt there is anything in there that you didn't already know; at least on the first pages, which are about how you met." He held the journal up to Remus, and the werewolf took it.

"Are you really sure?" Remus asked once again, as he opened the book to the first real entry. When Tiger nodded, he began to read.

"Well, here we go."

"Start already," Tiger said impatiently.

"I did. That's what is written here; 'Well, here we go'."

"Oh, sorry."

Remus just smiled, and went on.

'I'll start with how I met your father, Remus and Peter. (I really hate the rat, but I can't leave him out of this, and I can't talk bad about him when I remember our youth, because one day he was a really good friend to all of us.)'

"I hadn't thought he would think that way," Remus said to himself. Then he continued.

'Your dad and I were friends long before we went to Hogwarts. We met in primary school, where we became friends immediately. We looked so much alike then that everybody thought we were brothers. Some even thought we were twins. Within the first week we had a reputation as pranksters, and didn't lose it until after Hogwarts. Or, like Moony likes to remind me, never.

Oh, yes; Remus was always the one to tell us when to stop.

When we met him on the train ride, he sat on his own in one compartment of the Hogwarts Express. He seemed so small and breakable. And he looked really ill. (Later we got to know that it was because of the full moon, which had been two nights previous.)'

"I remember that. I felt extremely bad, and those two stomped into the compartment and didn't shut up until we arrived in Hogsmeade."

They both smiled before Remus continued.

'I think he thought we were the two most annoying people in the world at that moment. We talked and talked and talked, but Remus didn't really listen, let alone participate.

At one point he snapped at us to shut up for only five minutes.

That had to have been the hardest five minutes in my life.'

Laughter interrupted Remus' reading. "Did they make it through the whole five minutes?" Harry asked.

"Not without a lot of hard work. Listen." He read on.

'The first two minutes, James and I had to stifle our laughter, because every time we looked at each other we had to laugh. But one glare from Remy, and we stopped. There was something about him; a calmness that helped us to keep quiet.

Despite his glaring and snapping, there still was no sign of really being angry. That was what fascinated me about him.

For the last three of the five minutes I was glued to his eyes, and I had no need to speak again.

That didn't stop us from screaming and crying the moment Remus told us the time was up. We laughed together, and that was the moment when I knew that Remus, despite his innocent appearance, was a real prankster.'

They read on for almost two hours. At the end, they had finished the Marauders third year.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	23. A Step Too Far

Tiger & Dragon

By loverstouch

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 23 - A Step Too Far

Tiger wandered through the corridors for a while after he'd left Remus. He was still a bit emotional after all he had learned about Sirius, his parents, and the other Marauders. He had laughed a lot about the pranks Sirius had described, but he also had shed more tears when Remus read about the death of James' father, and how devastated both James and Sirius had been, for Mr. Potter was more of a father to Sirius than his own had ever been.

Now the young Slytherin was on his way back to the castle from his stroll around the lake. When he entered the building, he bumped into a body. The two of them fell to the floor, groaning.

"Ow."

"Damn."

"Eloquent as always, Mr. Ryan."

"Professor Snape!" Tiger stared at his Head of House surprised.

"Congratulation, Mr. Ryan. You've won one whole evening of detention already. Now the additional question: What are you doing out of the castle after curfew? You've thirty seconds. Answer now."

'Had Snape just made a joke?' Tiger wondered.

"I'm waiting, Mr. Ryan."

'Think; think. Why are you out after curfew? Why not in the common room? Why not at the party? The party!' Tiger smiled innocently at Snape. "You know about the party in the common room?" The Potions Master just nodded and Tiger went on. "Well it was a bit too much, you know? All the music and the chattering… I've had a headache all day, and I just needed some fresh air before throwing myself at your cunning, sexy godson again. He's been yearning for it for weeks, now, and I think I have teased him more than enough lately." His smile transformed into a smirk as he saw Snape's face acquire a look of disgust.

"I'd appreciate it if you would stop talking about your little fantasies concerning my godson," he sneered at Tiger.

"Oh. I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't realise what this meant to you. But I thought you were happy in your relationship."

"What are you talking about, boy?"

"Well, the fact that you are jealous, of course." Tiger started to laugh as he saw Snape's face first fall in horror, and then a new height of anger became visible upon it.

"You little-" was all he could say before Tiger stepped up to him, gave him a quick kiss on the lips, and fled to the dungeons.

-------

When Tiger entered the Slytherin common room, he was greeted with a wall of noises. Firstly and most prominently was the music; loud music. If Tiger hadn't come in from the corridor, he'd have said that Dumbledore could hear the music up in his office.

Then there was the chatter of almost fifty students talking animatedly to each other.

Tiger looked around the room and noticed that the younger students had already gone to bed. Only fourth to seventh years were still there.

Tiger found Draco sitting in his armchair. He wanted to go over to him, but Blaise stopped him.

"There you are," he smiled, and gave him a bottle of firewhisky. "Let's drink to…" He held his own bottle in the air, thinking a moment. "To a new school year with a lot of fun, a lot of alcohol, and hopefully a lot of sex."

Laughing, Tiger clicked his bottled against Blaise'. "To a new year," he said, and took a sip of his drink.

"Where have you been all evening?" Blaise asked, after he had downed half of his firewhisky.

"I wandered around."

"For four hours?"

"Yes?" Tiger answered, unsure whether Blaise would believe him.

"You weren't with someone else, were you?" Blaise asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, sweetie." Tiger stroked Blaise's cheek teasingly. "I'm yours, and yours only."

Blaise looked at him, shocked, but then they both started to laugh when Tiger's innocent smile transformed into a mischievous smirk.

"So what did you do?" Blaise asked after he had recovered.

"I wandered around the lake."

"And?" the other boy prompted.

"Later, I met Professor Snape. We had a little chat." There was this mischievous glint in his eyes again, which made Blaise suspicious.

"What did you do to him?"

"Me?" Tiger asked, as though shocked.

"Don't play the innocent. I can see that you're up to something - or were, more likely. Spit it out."

"Okay, okay."

"Hello, Tiger; there you are." A figure threw its arms around Tiger's neck.

"Pansy." He shoved her off of himself, and held her an arm's length away. "You're looking… dazzling." Tiger said, for lack of a better word. The girl wore a yellow robe with blue or black seams. Tiger couldn't say which colour it was, because the robes really were dazzling.

"Do you think so?" she asked, and leant closer. Tiger could smell the alcohol she had, undoubtedly, drank en masse. "Do you want to know what I'm wearing underneath?" she tried to whisper, but from Blaise' look, Tiger knew that he had heard it, too.

"Thanks, but no thanks, Pansy. Why don't you ask someone else?" He shoved her lightly in another direction. She turned back around and attempted to throw herself at Blaise, but the boy held his hand up defensively.

"No way: take someone who won't want to kill himself when he wakes up next to you tomorrow morning."

"Bastard." She tried to slap him, but missed, and stumbled. Tiger caught her and turned her in yet another direction, and gave her another shove.

"God. Is she always like that?" Tiger asked, disgusted.

"Always. But there are some boys who don't mind."

"Let me guess; Crabbe and Goyle?"

"How did you know?"

They laughed when they saw both Crabbe and Goyle approach Pansy, but the girl turned at the last moment, stumbled, and fell in the lap of one Draco Malfoy.

"Poor boy." Tiger smiled, and turned back to Blaise.

"Talking about poor boys; what did you do to Snape?"

"You won't stop 'til I tell you?"

"No chance." Blaise laughed, and took another sip of his firewhisky.

So Tiger told him about his little run-in with Snape, their conversation, and Tiger's provocation.

"Oh, boy. One day he will kill you."

"He enjoys my company too much." Tiger smiled, and took another sip of his drink.

He turned back to Draco and watched as the blond was still trying to push Pansy off of himself. "Do you think I should go over there and help him?" He asked his companion, but didn't really sound as if he was about to go anytime soon.

"No, he's a big boy. He can help himself," Blaise said a bit too fast - as if he wanted to prevent Tiger from going over there.

"A big boy, eh?" Tiger joked. "How do you know?" Laughing, he emptied his bottle.

"I… We… eh." Blaise stuttered, causing Tiger to spit his drink on the floor.

"You two? You two were together?" he asked, shocked and a bit hurt.

"We never really were together. We just… fooled around."

"Fooled around? Then you never slept together?" Tiger sounded relieved, but when Blaise didn't answer he became unsure again. "Tell me you didn't." He pleaded but knew he wouldn't get the answer he craved.

"It was only once," Blaise said apologetically.

"You don't have to sound so sorry," Tiger said slowly. "It's not as if he'd cheated on me or anything. I have no right to be angry or jealous. After all, even now we aren't really together, so I have no say in his choice of partner."

"And you wouldn't be mad if he fooled around with someone else?" Blaise asked pointedly, looking past Tiger.

When Tiger noticed the other boy looking past him, he followed his gaze and stopped dead.

Obviously Draco had stopped trying to get Pansy off of himself. Or that's what Tiger assumed was the reason their faces were glued together at the lips. Pansy had her arms wrapped around Draco's neck, pulling him as close as possible to her. Draco's hands lay on her shoulders and he had his eyes closed.

The time seemed to stand still. Tiger stood there, gazing at the two as if in trance. He felt angry: really, really angry.

Draco's eyes opened suddenly and immediately locked with Tiger's. The 'deer caught in the headlights' look on Draco's face snapped Tiger out of his stare. He turned away from Draco and looked at Blaise.

"I think I'll go to bed. It's been a long day. Good night."

"Good night, Tiger." Blaise watched the black haired boy retreat to their dorm, and then turned back to Draco - just in time to se a struggling Pansy fall to the floor.

"You little bitch. How dare you? I told you never to do that in front of anyone else. I would kill you if I had time for it now." Draco stood up and glared down at her with the most frightening stare Blaise had ever seen.

Pansy cowered back, not daring to say anything to the fuming blond.

Draco looked up and met Blaise' gaze. "Why?" The dark haired boy mouthed. Draco made a gesture at his neck which obviously told Blaise what he needed to know. "Fuck." He murmured. He saw Draco struggling with himself, looking in turn at Pansy and the corridor to the dorms. Blaise caught Draco's pleading eyes, and mouthed "Go."

'I will give her a little distraction - or two' he added to himself, with a quick look at Crabbe and Goyle.

The blond boy gave him a thankful smile, and left to go after Tiger.

-------

Tiger was already in bed when he heard the other boy enter the room. When Draco slipped through the curtains and lay down on the bed, the black haired boy spoke a quick silencing charm before he pounced on Draco. He straddled the blond, pinning his hands above his head, and attacked his lips with his own, terminating every last flavour left from Pansy. He was angry, and he wanted to know whether that was still what Draco wanted, or if the other boy preferred the little bitch now. Ravishing his mouth thoroughly, he ground his hips into the other boy's, rubbing himself against Draco. When he had to breathe, Tiger pulled away, just to attack the blond's neck; kissing, licking, and nibbling every spot he could reach.

"Tiger!" Draco moaned, lunging up against the other boy. "God. Please don't stop. Just never stop."

"Believe me; you'll beg me to never touch you again, before I'm through with you," Tiger whispered in his ear while nibbling at his earlobe. Draco struggled against Tiger's hand, but the other boy strengthened his grip.

"Please; I want to touch you," Draco pleaded, but stopped struggling when Tiger kissed him again.

"Not today," Tiger breathed against his lips. "I want you just lay here and enjoy this." He took both of Draco's hands in one of his, and let the other wander down the blond's torso. His hands slipped under Draco's pyjama shirt and stroked the blonde's stomach up until he reached one nipple. A moan from Draco indicated to Tiger that what he did was good. "I take it you like that?" He asked while pinching Draco's other nipple causing the boy to moan once again and buck his hips up against Tiger's.

"Please." Draco started to struggle again against Tiger's grip and now the raven haired boy released his grip. Momentarily Draco's hand flew up to Tiger back, stroking him up and down under his pyjama shirt.

Tiger let his second hand wander down to the waistband of Draco's pants and caressed the skin just above the pyjama bottoms. He felt Draco shiver under him and he smiled against the blonde's mouth.

"Tell me what you want me to do," Tiger whispered, while nibbling at the blond's lower lip.

"I want you…" Draco stopped a moment when Tiger ground himself against his groin. "I want you to touch me."

"You want me to touch you?" Tiger asked, smirking against Draco's lips. "Here?" He pinched a nipple, and the blond's hips arched up. "Or here?" He stroked around the pj's waistband and grabbed Draco's buttocks, bringing Draco's groin up against his own.

"Tease," Draco hissed, as Tiger massaged his bottom.

"Admit it; you like it," Tiger purred, while his hands wandered around Draco's hips to stroke his upper and inner thigh, intentionally missing Draco's erection.

"God, yes. Like that. Love it. Please, just don't stop." Draco screamed when Tiger's hand accidentally bumped against his throbbing member.

Tiger, who himself was already 'way too involved to stop now, showed some consideration for Draco, and touched his erection, but at first only with his fingertips, stroking up and down, while nibbling and kissing his way from Draco's lips to his ear.

"Do you know how sexy you look when you're about to climax?" Draco just groaned in response.

Nibbling at Draco's earlobe, Tiger grabbed the blond's member and began to stroke him in earnest. He bucked his hips in rhythm with his strokes while his lips found Draco's mouth again. Increasing his pace slowly, Tiger lost himself in Draco's mouth. They had their arms around each other, pressing their chests together. Moaning into each other's mouth, the two of them felt their climaxes rising. With one last stroke, Tiger ground his groin into Draco's, and they came at the same time, catching each other's moans in a last, passionate kiss.

When they came down from their climaxes, they looked in each other's eyes. For a moment they just smiled at each other, then, all of a sudden, Tiger's eyes widened in shock. However, he rolled off of the blond before he could notice anything was wrong. Lying on his back, Tiger stared at the ceiling; and then he felt Draco shift beside him, and cradle himself close to him. Absentmindedly, Tiger raised his hand, and stroked through the blond's hair.

"Tiger?"

"Mm?"

"I think I'm falling for you." The hand in the blond's hair stopped abruptly. "Tiger?" Draco raised himself up on his elbow, and looked down at the black haired boy who was lying there with closed eyes, obviously asleep. Smiling, Draco pecked him on the cheek, and rested his head back down on Tiger's chest, falling asleep immediately.

Tiger lay awake long after Draco had fallen asleep, the blond's last words still running through his head.

'I think I'm falling for you'.

-------

When Draco woke up the next morning, he was alone in bed. For the first time since he shared his bed with Tiger, the dark haired boy was up before him.

Shrugging to himself, Draco crawled out of bed and pulled the curtains open. He was surprised when he found Tiger lying curled up on his own bed sleeping soundly, but already fully clothed

Silently he approached the bed and sat down beside Tiger. Stroking through the boy's hair he leant down and placed a kiss on Tiger's lips.

Tiger stirred, and slowly opened his eyes.

"Morning." Draco smiled down at him.

"Mm?" Sleepily Tiger sat up. "Why are you up already? You're never awake before me. I haven't even cuddled myself up against you."

"I knew you did that on purpose," Draco said, more to himself than to Tiger. Then he addressed Tiger again. "You weren't in my bed when I woke up."

"Oh." Tiger crawled away from Draco, up against the headboard, when he remembered what had happened last night. 'I think I'm falling for you' "I- I woke up and couldn't sleep anymore. I didn't want to wake you so I went over here. I must have fallen asleep after all." Tiger smiled at Draco, but didn't meet his eyes. He crawled out of bed, reached his hand down to Draco, and helped him up, too.

"I think you're in need of a shower," Tiger smiled at him, catching a strand of blond hair and putting it behind Draco's ear. "You're all sticky, and you stink."

"I don't," Draco protested. Then he smiled and grabbed Tiger's hand. "I think you have the same needs I do."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I already showered when I couldn't sleep."

"Spoilsport," Draco said with a pout, before Tiger shoved him towards the bathroom.

When the blond had closed the door behind him, Tiger plumped back down on the bed and buried his head in his pillow.

"Don't choke yourself; you're too beautiful to die." Startled, Tiger turned around to be faced with a smiling Blaise.

"Morning," he mumbled, before he struggled up into a sitting position.

"What happened?" Blaise sat down beside him.

"I think I've gone too far."

"What do you mean? Did you two-"

"No!" Tiger exclaimed, before Blaise could finish his question.

"So you didn't, but something happened that you didn't want to happen."

"Yes. No."

"What is it, yes or no?" Blaise smiled at him.

"I wanted it, but not for the same reason as Draco."

"So you don't love him?"

"He told you?" Tiger asked shocked.

"He didn't have to. He's been my best friend since we were young. I know how to read him. He is head over heals for you."

"Oh, god." Tiger buried his head in his hands. "And I thought he was just fooling around."

"And I thought you weren't." Blaise watched him questioningly. "I mean - what you did to me the other morning wasn't a good example for showing the seriousness of your relationship, but after yesterday, I thought you cared for Draco."

"It's not that I don't care for him, but… I don't know. I don't know what I feel."

"What you feel about whom?" a voice asked from the bathroom door.

"Draco?" Tiger jumped up and turned around.

"What do you feel about me?" Draco asked, smirking.

Tiger panicked inwardly, but didn't show it. He smirked himself, and walked up to Draco.

"I've already felt a lot of you, and all I can say about that is," he paused and leant closer to whisper in Draco's ear, "I intend to feel a lot more, still." He stepped aside and walked out of the room, leaving a shivering Draco behind.

When he closed the door behind him, Tiger slumped down against the wall, burying his head in his hands once again.

"Oh, god: I'm doomed. How am I supposed to continue our little game now?" he thought miserably.

He sat there until Blaise and Draco left the dormitory and went down the corridor to the common room, without noticing him sitting on the floor. Tiger was about to stand up to go get his books, when the door to their dorm opened again, and Theodore Nott stepped out of the room. Tiger pressed himself against the wall so that Nott wouldn't notice him. Ever since their argument about the attack on Seamus Finnigan in their first Potion class Tiger was wary of Nott and tried to avoid him as much as possible.

"Very interesting," Nott said to himself. "I'm sure that's something I can use against those little queers. Or I could tell my dad, so that he could…"

Tiger was fuming. He wanted to grab his wand and hex Nott, but at that moment the door to his left opened, and some third years entered the corridor.

"Hello, Tiger," one of them said, catching Theodore's attention.

Nott turned around and smirked at Tiger.

"Hello, Tiger. Did you have a good night's rest? Sweet dreams?"

Tiger just glared at him, then went back into the sixth year's dormitory, slamming the door behind him. He was fuming. He remembered Lucius' words about Nott.

'Be careful around him.'

'Oh, how I'd like to…' He punched his fist angrily against the wall, grimacing at the resulting pain.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	24. Quidditch Try Outs

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 24 - Quidditch Tryouts**

Tiger didn't go to breakfast that morning, or to his first class of the day. He stayed in his dorm until he was sure everyone was in class, and the corridors were deserted. Then he grabbed his Skybreaker and left for the Quidditch pitch.

In the corridors he had to dodge Mrs. Norris and Filch, who were looking for Peeves, and then the poltergeist himself, who was obviously planning a prank on whoever was unlucky enough to cross him next.

When he stepped out of the castle, Tiger stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. Immediately he felt lightened, as if something had been choking him and was now gone. Breathing in the cooling autumn air, Tiger walked slowly over to the Quidditch pitch, where he mounted his broom, and took off into the air.

The moment his feet left the ground, all his problems were gone. No Theodore Nott knowing about him and Draco, no Dark Lord wanting to recruit him, no fear of what would happen once his true identity was out, and no Draco wanting more from him than he was able to give; only him and the feeling of total freedom.

Over the summer Tiger had learned to totally relax on his broom. He often escaped into the air after a meeting with Narcissa, or an extremely tiring Occlumency lesson with Lucius. But most of the time he flew just for fun. Draco often joined him, and he often dared Tiger to do more spectacular and more risky moves.

One day Draco came up with something that would become their most trained stunt.

Flashback

"Come on, Tiger. I know you did it before I saw you doing it." Draco was hovering in front of Tiger, waving a scarf in front of him. "When you're really relaxed, you fly with your eyes closed. Why not now?"

"Because I can open my eyes any time I want if it feels too dangerous. With the scarf, I would still be blindfolded."

"You could remove it anytime."

"Why don't you try it yourself, if you want it so badly?"

"Because you're the better flyer, and you know that I could never orient myself without my eyesight."

"But I should try it?" Tiger asked, intrigued.

"You could do it," Draco said enthusiastically, noticing the rising interest in Tiger's voice. He flew closer to Tiger until their knees touched. "You know I won't let you get hurt, don't you?" he asked, a bit hurt, a small pout on his lips.

"You know I trust you, and you know that this is not fair." He reached one hand out and stroked his thumb over Draco's pouting lower lip.

"But it's effective?" Draco asked innocently.

"Yes, you little blackmailer, it is effective," Tiger said, annoyed, but laughed when Draco enthusiastically flew behind him and fastened the scarf over Tiger's eyes.

"Whoa, shit, I can't see," Tiger yelped, as the blond boy flew away from him. He grabbed the handle of his broom tighter.

"That's the idea," Draco laughed. "And now… follow me."

"You're really funny, Draco. How am I supposed to do that?"

"Concentrate on my voice. Move slowly. I will lead you. Don't worry. As long as you do what I say, there is nothing you have to fear."

"That's exactly what I fear," Tiger replied, as he started to move forward, still clutching his broom like a drowning person would clutch on a little stick.

"That's it. Follow my voice. Let's get a bit higher now." Draco rose further in the air, and Tiger followed, half-heartedly.

"I think that I like this," Tiger said after a while. "It's as if I'm dreaming…as if nothing matters anymore…just me in the sky…as if I have no worries at all. I feel as if I'm free for the first time in my life." He spread his arms to the side and let out a joyful scream.

But in the next moment he leant forward and clutched the broom handle again.

"That was a bit much, don't you think?" came Draco's voice from his left.

"Yeah." Tiger laughed. "But wait 'til the end of summer, and I will never fly with my eyes open."

"Are you sure of that?" Draco asked, now from Tiger's right, and much closer than the other boy had thought.

"God, don't do that!" Tiger exclaimed, and pulled his broom around so that he flew in the opposite direction from the blond.

"Tiger, wait!" Draco was at his side again, and now the two of them flew a few rounds over the ground of Malfoy Castle.

At the end of their flying session, Tiger wanted to try to see whether he could notice if he was near the ground or any obstacles.

"Come on, let's try it," he said enthusiastically to Draco.

"I don't know," Draco replied. "I think it's too dangerous."

"It's my life I'm risking. Anyway, it was your idea to try it in the first place."

"That was before you tried those stunts with flying with no hands and doing somersaults. All we need now is you trying to do the Wronski faint."

"That was my intention."

"You're mad, Tiger Ryan. I won't let you do that. Are you crazy?"

"I can't be totally sane when I'm a friend of yours, now can I?" Tiger laughed. He waited for a reply, but there was none. "Draco? Draco? Draco!"

"That's not funny," came the sudden reply from behind him, which caused Tiger to pull the broom to an abrupt halt. In the next moment, Draco crashed into him and two flew from their brooms, landing immediately on the ground.

"I knew I wasn't far from the ground," Tiger said joyfully, and took off his blindfold.

He turned and looked at Draco, who lay a few feet away from him on his back, all four limbs splayed out in different directions. Laughing, Tiger went over and looked down at him. "Your hair is a mess."

"I hate you," Draco said weakly, his hands flying automatically to his head."

"No, you don't." Tiger smiled and helped him up on his feet. "So, want to try again?" Tiger laughed as Draco gave him a disbelieving look, and stormed off towards the castle.

End flashback

Laughing at the memory, Tiger prepared to dive into total blackness. He had his tie wrapped around his eyes, and made one breakneck move after the other. He had totally lost track of time, and with his lack of eyesight he couldn't read the sun, either.

Flying one last circle around the Quidditch pitch, Tiger absorbed as much information about exactly where he was. He felt little irregularities in the air which he knew was one of the goal posts - the stands would have had a lot more air resistance. He turned his broom so that he was facing the pitch, and sped up. He flew forward for a few seconds before he dove down to the ground.

Tiger felt the adrenalin racing through his blood. He could hear his heart beating faster every second.

Tuning out everything else, Tiger concentrated only on the wind. He waited for the moment when he felt the headwind subside the tiniest bit, and pulled the broom up. He could feel the ground under him as he flew parallel to it. He slowed down and flew lower, until he felt the ground under his feet, and he came to a total halt.

The moment his feet touched the ground, Tiger's surroundings erupted into joyful cheers.

Startled, Tiger untied the blindfold around his eyes and was met with a good fourth of the school in the stands.

"Shit!" Tiger exclaimed, in disbelief.

"Shit indeed, Mr Ryan," said a voice from behind him.

"Madam Hooch!" Tiger turned around and faced the flying instructor.

"You're a very good flyer," Madam Hooch said, obviously impressed.

"Thank you."

"I assume you'll try out for seeker?"

"But Draco is seeker for Slytherin."

"You weren't in the Great Hall for breakfast?"

"No."

"Well, Professor Dumbledore announced that every position in every House is open this year. There are so many players gone, or simply not good enough, because they had only been temporary solutions."

Tiger knew she was not only talking about the Gryffindor team, but also about the Slytherin. Crabbe and Goyle had only joined the team last year because there was no one else who could hit the bludger harder than them. Technique wasn't necessary. And now that Warrington and Bletchley had left, Slytherin was in need of a new Chaser and Keeper. The Gryffindor team had even more positions to replace. Not only the Beaters and Seeker had to be replaced (Ginny wanted to play Chaser, Tiger knew, and neither Andrew Kirke nor Jack Sloper were actually good in their position as Beaters), but now with Alicia and Angelina gone, they were in need of two Chasers as well. Tiger didn't know about the other two teams, but he was sure Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw could do with some new players, too.

"That's why everyone is here," Madam Hooch said, pointing at all the students in the stands. "The heads of house and I will supervise the tryouts which the current team will hold. If there is someone better for a position than the present player, then we will see to an acceptable solution. Professor Dumbledore thought this way the four teams might become more equal and this year's Quidditch season won't be dominated by Gryffindor and Slytherin. Although both teams have lost some players," she stopped for a second, remembering why Gryffindor was in need of a new Seeker, before she continued, "they are still in better shape than the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw teams; not in the least because of the broom-standards both houses have. The Slytherin team has at least a Nimbus 2001, and I heard there is an order out for seven new firebolts for the Gryffindor team."

Tiger wanted to ask why this hadn't happened in the years before, even though the Hufflepuffs had the most horrible team the last few years, but at the last moment he remembered that he wasn't supposed to know about that. Instead, he asked, "Is this how it's worked every year?"

"No, this is the first time we've done this with all four houses. We had difficulties forming an acceptable team for one house or another in the past, but never for so many of them."

"What about classes?" Tiger asked suddenly. "It must be just after lunch." He assured himself by looking at his watch. "Classes start in ten minutes."

"Classes are cancelled this afternoon."

"Just for tryouts?"

"No, just for you to ask useless questions, and take up our time," a stern voice said from behind Tiger. Turning around, he found Professors Snape, McGonagall, Sprout and Flitwick standing there. "It would be very kind of you to join your house, so that we can begin the tryouts," the Potions Master snarled.

"How could I deny you anything when you ask so nicely?" Tiger smiled at Snape before he left for the Slytherin stands.

-------

After explaining once again how the tryouts would be held, everyone joined the current members of their House teams at one corner of the pitch, to start the tryouts.

When Tiger arrived at the Slytherin corner, the potential players were divided into groups by the position they wanted to try out for. He had stayed behind in the stands, grumbling about having to move again after he'd just sat down. So he waited until everyone was gone before he made his way down to his House members.

Sitting down on a bench in the corner of the pitch, he watched as the first group took off into the air.

He saw Madam Hooch release the Golden Snitch, and instantly the group flew after it. Tiger searched the sky for the familiar white-blond hair, but couldn't find Draco anywhere.

"Why aren't you in the air?" a familiar voice asked from his side.

"Why aren't you in the air?" Tiger turned to Draco, confusion written on his face. "They'll take away your position, if you don't hurry up." He pointed in the air where a fourth year was racing after the snitch, followed by everyone else who was trying out for the position.

"No, they won't. They'll take away your position. But they won't do that, either."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're going to be the Slytherin's new Seeker."

"What? But that's your position! You're Seeker."

"You're the better one. You'd catch the Snitch even if I tried out, too."

"But I don't want to take away your place on the team," Tiger said, miserably.

"You won't. I'll try out for Keeper."

"But you're a Seeker."

"I don't want to be one anymore."

"But why?" Tiger asked, noticing that there was something Draco wouldn't tell him.

"Because," Draco said simply. "Now go get the Snitch before Severus ends this charade."

Tiger looked first at Snape, who was glaring at him, then at the group in the air. They were still flying after the Snitch, in an even slower pace than before. He looked back at Draco pleadingly.

"Go," Draco insisted.

"Tell me."

"Later. Now, go."

Reluctantly Tiger mounted his broom, and raced after the group of potential Seekers. It took him only a few seconds, and he held the golden snitch in his hand.

Landing in front of Draco and Professor Snape, Tiger gave the Snitch to his Head of House, then he grabbed Draco's hand and led him up into the stands, where he demanded an explanation of him.

"Tell me why you don't want to be Seeker anymore. And don't even try to tell me that I'm the better one. We could have raced together for the snitch. Why haven't you even tried?"

Draco pulled his hand out of the dark haired boy's grip and tuned away from him. "Because I'm scared."

"What do you mean, scared?" Tiger asked, confused.

When the blond didn't answer, Tiger stood up and sat on his other side. He put a hand under Draco's chin and lifted his head to meet his eyes. He was shocked to find an expression on the boy's face he'd never seen there before - shame.

"Tell me what's wrong with you."

"Do you remember what you - that is; Weasley, Granger and Potter - said about my being a member of the Slytherin team in our second year?"

"Something about your father buying the position with new brooms for the team," Tiger remembered.

"It was true," Draco admitted. "I'd have never been on the team if there had been a tryout for the position."

"That is not true. You were… You are a good Seeker; a really good one."

"But not without help."

"Of course you had help," Tiger said. "There must have been someone who taught you to fly as carelessly and elegantly as you do."

Shaking his head, Draco said, "It was all a big cheat. It was a potion."

"What?"

"I took a potion every time I had to play."

"But what about training?"

"I never attended them. I'm a Malfoy: I didn't need to."

"What potion was it? What did you do?"

"Do you know the emendare potion?"

"I read about it in '1001 ways to cheat in Quidditch'. I found the book in your library." Draco's cheeks turned slightly pink. "But I can't remember what it was used for; only that in 1970 the Spanish team had been disqualified for using it in the finals of the World Cup."

"The emendare potion allows a player to intensify his or her skills from the point from none existing, up to professional player, depending on how much one took."

"Then why didn't you take a bit more, so that you could beat me?"

I took the biggest dose I could without collapsing from canere blood overdose."

"Oh." Tiger didn't know what to say. He couldn't have been that good, could he?

"Don't overexert your pretty head, Ryan." Draco smirked. "I've got a canere blood allergy. That's why I couldn't take more of the potion."

"Oh." Tiger sounded a bit disappointed.

"But even if I hadn't been allergic, just three more drops would have been too much for anyone." Draco smiled. Tiger smiled slightly, too, at the compliment. Then he remembered what they were talking about.

"But why haven't you played Keeper from the beginning?"

"As Keeper I wouldn't have had the opportunity to play directly against you. That was the point, after all."

"But why?"

"My father," Draco answered, as if that explained everything - and it did.

"Your father was still loyal to Voldemort." Draco nodded. There was a momentary silence, then Tiger said, "The day of our first match against each other I had to go to the infirmary because of my broken arm."

"You mean because of Lockhart, who removed all the bones from within your arm."

"Don't remind me," Tiger groaned. "Anyway, you were there, too. You looked really sick, but Madam Pomfrey said you were pretending. Was that because of the potion?"

"Yes. I was so afraid before the match that I took too much of the potion. The moment I was back on the ground I felt the nausea take over. I felt dizzy, and everything went black. Blaise and Severus brought me to the infirmary before anyone could notice."

"And Madam Pomfrey?"

"She gave me an anti-nausea potion, but the camomile root used in it isn't compatible with the canere blood in the emendare potion. I couldn't tell her why I still felt sick, so Blaise took me down to Severus, who gave me something for it. He said he should let me suffer for my carelessness, but after two minutes whining he pleaded with me to take the potion."

"Professor Snape? Pleading?" Tiger asked in disbelief. "That is a scene I would pay to see." They laughed.

They fell into a comfortable silence and watched the chasers try out. After a while, Tiger spoke.

"Is there a reason for your fear? I mean, obviously you have no problems with height, and you went flying with me of your own free will over the summer. You even encouraged me often enough to go flying with you."

"That's the problem. I love to fly. You saw me making a lot of risky moves. I just have this problem with speed."

"That's why you didn't want me to fly too fast while I was blindfolded."

"I feared that you would fly too near an obstacle. I would never have reached you in time."

"Draco, come on; time for your try out," Blaise' voice came from the stairs, just before his dark head came into view.

"Did you make it?" Draco asked him, standing up.

"I think so. Official results will be announced at the end of the tryouts. Good luck."

"Thank you," the blonde said, and went down to the pitch.

"You tried out for Chaser?" Tiger asked, as Blaise sat down beside him.

"Yeah, I did. You were really good up there."

"Thanks. I'm afraid I can't give you the same compliment. Draco and I had to talk. We hadn't time to watch you," Tiger said. He watched as Draco took off into the air.

"That's okay. Did he tell you about his little problem?" Blaise asked. He, too, was watching Draco and the other potential Keeper try out.

"You knew?" Tiger was surprised, but then he remembered what Draco had told him about their match in second year. "You knew about the potion. That's why you took him to Professor Snape."

"That's right. He told me the day we had our first flying lesson from his father together. We were five. He told me that he had been flying with his dad, and that he got violently sick when they flew too fast."

"Lucius flying; I can't believe that." Tiger laughed.

"Oh, he's a really good flyer. He taught us everything we know. He's a really nice guy."

"That he is." They were silent for a moment, and watched Draco catch one Quaffle after another. After a while Tiger felt Blaise' eyes upon him.

"Ask away," he said, without turning his eyes from Draco.

"What?" Blaise was startled at Tiger's words.

"You want to know what's going on between us, don't you?"

"Well, I don't want to be rude, but this morning you said you made a big mistake and all, but now you act like you're…" Blaise stopped.

"The best of friends?" Tiger helped out.

"Well, yes. I think so," Blaise said, reasonably. "But still, you have been totally distraught, and now…"

"Let's just say I had a change of mind."

"Don't tell me you've found your hidden feelings for Draco in the last eight hours."

"It is a bit more complicated than that."

"Explain."

Tiger didn't answer at first because he was too distracted by Draco's flying abilities. The blond was making one catch after the other with more and more risky turns, and looked as if he was having the time of his life.

"I've never seen him this happy on a broom before. He looks even more beautiful than normally," Tiger said dreamily.

"And you sound as if you are in love," Blaise teased.

"Not again, Blaise. Please." There must have been something in Tiger's eyes that told Blaise not to push it now, because the other boy changed the subject.

"What happened today, Tiger? Why weren't you at breakfast or in class? It couldn't have been because of 'you know what'; you're not the type to hide. There must have been something else this morning. What happened this morning?"

"Did something happen?" a new voice asked. The two dark haired boys looked up and found a scowling Draco standing in front of them. "Is it true, Tiger? Did something happen you haven't told me?" He sat down on the backrest of the seat in front of the two, and looked at Tiger urgently. "Tiger?"

Tiger sighed, and began to tell them what happened that morning after the two had left; what Nott had said. He gave Blaise a meaningful look so the boy knew that Nott had heard everything this morning. There was a long silence after Tiger had finished.

"That is not good," Draco said at last.

"Not good at all," Blaise added.

"No, it's not." Tiger looked at the two, then turned back to watching Theodore Nott trying out for Beater, just in time to see a Bludger coming his way.

The next moment, blackness overcame him.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	25. What Happened?

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 25 – What Happened?**

"I can't believe him. That bastard tried to kill him! He sent a Bludger with full force towards Tiger, and what is his punishment? A fucking place on the team."

"Calm down, Draco," Blaise said to the enraged blond.

"Calm down? Calm DOWN?" Draco's voice reached a new height. "I will not calm down. How could Severus do that? How could he give him a place on the team?" There was a pause in which only the footsteps of an arriving person was heard. "Look what he did to Tiger," Draco said angrily.

"I know what happened to Mr. Ryan," Snape's voice was heard.

"Is that all you have to say?"

"I don't know what else I should say."

"Let's think about it for a moment," Draco said sarcastically. "How about not putting Parker on the team?"

'Parker? Patrick?' Tiger tried to digest all that he had heard since he'd woken up a few minutes ago. 'Patrick Parker hit me with a Bludger? Well, Snape was right to put him on the team, if my headache is any reference to the force with which the Bludger struck.'

"I think you should take a walk and calm down for a bit."

"First, you will tell me what you thought when you gave him the place on the team."

"Mr. Parker has remarkable strength for his age. It would be stupid not to let him play for Slytherin," Snape answered his godson's exclamation.

"You'll need to teach him how to aim, before he can play. At least I hope he just hit the Bludger randomly, and didn't intentionally use me as a target," Tiger said, without opening his eyes.

"Tiger, you're awake!" Draco ran over to him and gave him a relieved hug.

"Ah." Tiger winced, and Draco jumped back.

"I'm sorry, Tiger," the blond said, and softly stroked a wet cloth over the other boy's forehead.

"It's okay, just… I don't think I can move for the next… say, three years. My head is killing me."

"Then you might like this." Madam Pomfrey arrived in Tiger's sight, and handed him a potion. "It's the strongest headache potion we have. Mr. Zabini, Mr. Malfoy; it's time for dinner. Please leave Mr. Ryan now. He will need to stay the night," she said, while helping Tiger to sit up and drink the potion. Disappointed, Draco and Blaise left the hospital wing.

After only a few seconds, Tiger's headache faded somewhat, but it still hurt a lot. "May I have a second goblet?" Tiger smiled slightly and held the empty goblet out to the nurse.

"Do you still have pain?" Madam Pomfrey asked, confused.

"It is a lot better, but it still hurts like hell." Tiger said.

"That isn't possible. That was the strongest potion available for students," Snape said. "I've never heard of anyone who wasn't totally headache free with the capitis sanare potion."

'I know someone,' Tiger thought, just as…

"Potter often needed a second dose," Madam Pomfrey said to Snape.

"How often did you give him a second dose?" Snape asked critically. Tiger turned nervously to the side and listened to what the two adults said.

"You know he had a lot of headaches through his fourth and fifth year. At first he would only need a mild potion, but with every headache the potion would help less, the poor boy." Madam Pomfrey's expression softened. "Abut halfway through October last year I gave him the capitis sanare potion. It worked very well up until just before Christmas holidays started. You know what happened then."

'The attack on Arthur Weasley,' Tiger remembered.

"Yes, I know," Snape said coldly.

"That was the first time he had a second dose. I told him that it was only once because it was Christmas, and I didn't want him to be in pain all through the holidays." She smiled at the memory.

"But it wasn't the only time you gave him a second dose."

"He was in so much pain all the time. I couldn't refuse to help him," Madam Pomfrey said, with tears in her eyes. "About two months after his first second dose he said it didn't work as well as it did before."

"Don't tell me you gave him a third dose," Snape said angrily.

"No, of course not."

"What I want to know is where did you get the potion from? I know I've only made the capitis sanare potion twice for your store. That should have been enough until mid January for the amount you said Potter took. Why haven't you asked me for more? What did you give him?"

"I made the potion myself." Madam Pomfrey confessed. "I used less arboris root than was asked for."

"That would lessen the affect, but wouldn't harm anyone," Snape said to himself.

'That explains a lot,' Tiger thought.

"I wanted Harry to believe he got two doses."

"You thought it was only in his head that he needed so much."

"I hoped I could get him back to milder potions with time."

"Did it help?"

"He had asked a few times whether he could get a third dose, but with time he gave up on his asking. And after one more month – I think it was the beginning of March – he came less and less often to me for the potion."

Tiger could hear the wheels in Snape's head working. Carefully he rolled out of the bed and grabbed his shoes, pulling them on while he continued to listen to Madam Pomfrey.

"At the beginning of April he came for the last time," she told Snape proudly.

"You stupid woman," Snape said all of a sudden.

"What?" the nurse asked confused.

"You don't really believe the boy didn't need the potion any more?"

"What are you talking about?"

"At the end of February I noticed that a few ingredients from my stores were missing. Among other things, I missed arboris root; enough to last for five cauldrons of capitis sanare potion."

Slowly, Tiger made his way over to the door.

"What do you mean?" Madam Pomfrey asked, puzzled.

"The capitis sanare potion is highly addictive. You don't just stop taking it from one day to the other; not without a lot of help, anyway."

"It wasn't like that," the nurse tried to explain. "It took nearly four months to…"

"That is not possible. The only way to come off that stuff is a dry withdrawal treatment. "

"But Harry didn't take any potion after that last time. He hadn't had any headache since then."

"How stupid can you be?" Snape roared.

Tiger stopped at the door and turned around.

"How dare you, Severus Snape? Lower your voice! I have a patient who needs his rest."

"I don't think so," Snape said calmly, looking over to the empty bed where Tiger had lain moments ago. Then his eyes wandered to the door, where they met Tiger's, moments before the boy fled the room.

"What?" Pomfrey turned around, but only saw the doors to the room swing shut.

--------

Tiger made his way down to the dungeons, hoping no one would see him in his haste. The corridors were empty because it was still dinner time.

After giving the password to enter the common room, Tiger went to his dorm and to his trunk. He rummaged through his things until he found a small casket which he took with him to the bathroom.

With a tap of his wand the casket opened and revealed about twenty small vials, of which at least ten were already empty. One by one Tiger took out the full vials, and emptied them into the sink.

Tiger was about to empty the last two vials when he stopped. He uncorked one and rotated the potion within three times. "He just mustn't find it in my possession. Who cares how it is destroyed? At least my headache will be gone." He raised the vial to his lips and drank the potion in one move. Grabbing the last vial, he repeated the rotating movement and drank half the contents before emptying the other half into the sink. Sighing in relief, Tiger sank to the floor and cradled the empty vial to his chest.

"How long have you taken the potion, now?" a stern voice asked from the doorway.

Startled, Tiger's head snapped up, and found Professor Snape walking over to him. Scrambling to his feet, Tiger shoved the last vial back in the box and walked out of the bathroom as if nothing had happened. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said as he passed his Head of House without looking at him.

"Don't play dumb, Ryan," Snape said as he grabbed Tiger's shoulder, and pulled the boy around to face him.

"Look at me," Snape snapped, when Tiger still tried to avert his eyes. Slowly Tiger raised his head and looked the Potions Master in the eye. "You stupid boy," Snape snarled. "Your eyes are shining. How much did you take? And don't lie to me," he added, before Tiger had a chance to answer.

Without answering, Tiger opened the wooden box and handed Snape one of the vials.

"The whole vial?" Snape asked, shocked. Tiger nodded. "That must have been at least a double dose."

"Triple," Tiger whispered, as he took the vial back and put it into the box. "Sometimes I take two vials, undiluted."

Stunned, Snape looked at Tiger for a while before he got his composure back. "Show me the box," he demanded.

Tiger did as he was told, and opened the lid fully.

After making sure that all the vials were empty, Snape turned to the door and walked out. "Follow me."

Reluctantly, Tiger followed him out of the common room and through the dungeon's corridors. As they stopped in front of Snape's quarters, the first students returned from dinner, including Draco and Blaise.

"Tiger? Where have you been? I went to the hospital wing, but you weren't there," the blond said as they approached Tiger and Snape.

The moment the door to Snape's rooms was unlocked, Tiger went into the room, leaving a bewildered blond behind.

"What's going on?" he heard Draco ask, as he sat down in one of the armchairs.

"We have something to discuss. Mr. Ryan will be back soon," the Potions Master said before he closed the door and walked over to Tiger. He sat down in the second armchair facing Tiger and watched the boy for a few minutes. Tiger sat with knees up against his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs, and watched the flames dancing in the fireplace.

"How long?" Snape asked in a un-Snape-like, concerned voice.

"About six months," Tiger said, without looking up.

"How often?"

"Three to five times a week at the beginning. Every day for about two months; sometimes twice a day. Lately, only sporadically. That was the first time this week, and only the tenth since I came to the Malfoys."

"Look at me, Tiger," Snape said after a short silence.

Slowly, Tiger turned his head to meet Snape's eyes. They held eye contact for a moment before Tiger jumped up and backed away.

"Why did you do that?" he asked, hurt. "How dare you invade my mind while I'm sitting here about to totally break down, and you just use Occlumency on me?" The hurt transformed into panic as Tiger backed away to the door. Snape stood, too, and looked shocked at Tiger.

"Potter?" He looked totally bewildered. "What the hell? You're dead! I can't believe it." He started to pace. "Albus, that old fool. How could he do that? Oh, my god; Draco." Tiger's head snapped up at the mention of the blond boy. "He will be furious when I tell him his new best friend is Harry Potter." He spat the last two words.

"What?" Tiger asked in disbelief.

"How dare you worm your way into the Malfoys' confidence in such a way?"

"What?" Tiger had no idea what Snape was on about.

"I can't believe Albus doesn't trust Lucius. I can't believe he would stoop that low to search for evidence that Lucius is loyal to the Light."

"What are you on about?" Tiger felt his anger rise again.

"I will make sure that you won't come near Draco again. You won't use Draco's feelings for you to keep his father loyal to that old fool, even if I have to tell everyone the truth."

"You won't," Tiger exclaimed, pulling out his wand and pointing it at Snape.

"Do you really believe you could stop me from telling anyone?" the Potions Master spat, and drew his own wand.

"I will do anything that's necessary."

"You stupid child: put that wand away before you injure yourself with it."

"Do you want me to put it away?" Tiger exclaimed angrily. "By all means, make me."

"Expelliarmus," Snape said immediately, but at the same time Tiger shouted "Stupefy."

The young Slytherin watched his Head of House fall to the floor, while his own wand flew out of his hand. With his Seeker reflexes, he reached out and grabbed the wand before it was out of reach.

The moment Tiger held his wand in his hand, he realized what he had done. "Oh, my god. I hit a teacher with a spell. I hit Snape with a spell." He walked over to the fallen Potions Master and looked down into deadly black eyes. He held the gaze for a moment until he felt Snape probe his mind again.

"Stop that." Tiger pushed the invader out of his mind with full force. "I will not allow you to destroy the friendship between Draco and myself. You will not reveal who I really am." He felt his anger rise to the point where he felt his magic boil. Sparks flew from his body and hit Snape, who watched Tiger with wide eyes.

The moment the first spark hit him, Snape felt the stupefy spell fading until it was totally gone. Carefully his hand searched for his wand, his eyes never leaving Tiger. The boy continued his ranting and never noticed his spell was off the professor. Snape found his wand and grabbed it. At the same time Tiger raised his wand to cast a spell.

"Stu-" Snape began but Tiger stopped him with another burst of magic. Snape was thrown back against the wall with full force. His head hit the wall with a sickening sound.

"Oh, my god." Tiger paled and rushed over to him. He knelt down at Snape's side and looked him over for injuries. "Oh, shit." he said, as he felt a wet spot on the back of Snape's head. As he pulled his hand back, it was red with Snape's blood. A groan pulled his attention back to his Professor.

"What happened?" Snape asked, as he tried to sit up.

"Don't move." Tiger put a hand on Snape's chest to keep him still.

"My head." Snape put a hand to the back of his head, and as he pulled it back, saw the blood on it. "What happened?" he asked again. "Tiger?" He looked up at the boy in front of him.

"You don't remember what happened?" Tiger asked, concerned.

"No."

"What is the last thing you remember?" The boy asked, as a plan formed in his head.

"You were hit by a Bludger, and we brought you to the hospital wing."

"That's right. And after that?"

"I don't know. What happened after that?"

"Not much. I left the hospital wing after I got a headache potion. I think you wanted to talk to me, because you followed me." He stopped for a moment to think up a plausible explanation. "You said you wanted to tell me something, so we came here, because the others were coming back from dinner."

"What did we speak about?" Snape asked, as he tried to stand up. Tiger helped him up and led him over to the armchair. "I can't remember that I wanted to talk to you about." He winced a bit as Tiger lay a conjured cloth on his wound.

"Sorry," the boy said, as he cleaned the wound. "Do you want me to heal it?"

"Please." Tiger pulled his wand and said a healing spell over the wound. "Thank you. Tell me what happened."

"It was my fault."

"How so?"

"I teased you. I asked whether you wanted to seduce me because you wanted us to be alone." Tiger said that all in one breath. "I wouldn't stop, even as you threatened to hex me. You pulled out your wand, and I pulled mine as well to compare 'length'. When you spoke a spell, I reacted instinctively and defended myself. I'm sorry." Tiger lowered his head in shame. He couldn't believe he told his Head of House such a lie. But obviously it worked.

"I think I will lie down for a while. Maybe after I rest I will remember again. Or at least my headache will be gone."

"I am really sorry, sir," Tiger said, standing up.

"Just don't do it again," Snape said as he opened the door for Tiger.

"I won't, sir. I promise." Tiger bid Snape goodbye, and left his quarters.

After he had created enough distance between himself and Snape, he leant against the wall and sighed in relief.

"Is something wrong, Tiger?" A voice said, startling him.

"Remus," Tiger said, surprised. "What are you doing down in the dungeons?"

"Dungeons, Tiger?" Remus asked, confused, and looked past Tiger. The boy followed his gaze and found himself looking out a window. He looked up and down the corridor he was standing in and realized he was on the second floor, right in front of Remus' quarters.

"Oh," he said, perplexed, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Come in." Remus led him into his private room and set him down on the couch. After preparing some tea, Remus sat beside Tiger and handed him a cup. "What happened?"

"I hexed Snape," Tiger said without looking up.

"What do you mean, you hexed him? Was it a prank?" When there came no answer, Remus lifted Tiger's head with a finger under his chin and looked at him. "Tell me, Tiger."

"I was angry. He wanted to make Draco leave me. I wasn't on guard. He knows who I am," Tiger sobbed. "He wanted to destroy my friendship with Draco and Lucius. He wanted to tell them. I couldn't let him do it. I couldn't."

Remus hugged Tiger to his chest and let the boy cry for a while. When he felt Tiger calm down, he held him at arm's length and looked in his tear filled eyes.

"Tiger, Harry," Remus said calmly. "They do know. Draco and Lucius do know who you are."

"I know that, Remus. But at that moment I was so shocked and taken by surprise. Then Snape started to rant and I hadn't time to explain. And then I thought what Draco told me about his Snape and that he would do almost everything for his godfather. He values Severus' opinion and in my mind I thought Snape could make Draco hate me again. God, Remus, what have I done?"

"What did you do to him?" he asked gently.

"I stupefied him when he wouldn't stop his ranting. I didn't know what to do. I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't stop probing my mind. I got even angrier, and my magic went out of control. The stunning spell loosened, and Snape grabbed his wand. He wanted to stupefy me, but I was so angry when I noticed that, that my magic hit him and shoved him back against the wall, hard."

Tiger stopped for a moment and took a deep breath before he continued. "He had a wound on the back of his head…but I healed it," he added, as Remus looked concerned. "But now he doesn't remember. He doesn't know who I really am, and I told him a story about what happened. He believes it."

"Remus, I'm sorry that I hurt him, but I couldn't have let him ruin everything. I would have Obliviated him if it had been necessary. He was nice to me for the first time. I'm really happy as Tiger Ryan. I don't want to lose that. I don't want to lose Draco." He looked at Remus as if he waited for reassurance that he did the right thing.

"I can't approve of what you did, Tiger," Remus said. He held his hand up as Tiger started to protest. "But I understand what you did. What I don't understand is why you had such a panic that he would tell Draco and Lucius? I think the two know who you really are."

Tiger looked at him for a moment as if Remus had told him he was Merlin himself. "Oh," he said, nonplussed, and buried his head in his hands. "I didn't think about that," he mumbled. "I was just so worried that I could lose Draco. I'm an idiot." He smacked his hands repeatedly against his head.

"You didn't think," Remus said gently, as he grabbed Tiger's hands and pulled them away from his head.

"No, I didn't think at all," Tiger said, defeated. "It was just the shock that he found out, and the realization that he could ruin everything if he told Draco that I am add-" Tiger stopped himself, shocked that he'd nearly told Remus about his problem with the capitis sanare potion. He shook his head, exhausted, and went on.

Remus had noticed that there was something else, but for now he had to keep quiet and let Tiger talk.

"You know what Snape is like. He always made me angry and lose control when he started to insult me. I just didn't think about anything else than what would happen if he told anyone. I had this picture in my head of Draco laughing in Potions while Snape announced me as the stupidest wizard ever born."

"Draco loves his godfather, and he listens to his every word. What if he realized that Snape was right, and he didn't want to be with me anymore? What if he realized what a big mistake he made in befriending me and would stop now, after Snape had opened his eyes?" By now Tiger had talked himself into a bit of a panic. His breathing was too fast, and his hands were trembling. He had a headache, and longed for his potion. But he knew he couldn't take another dose: besides, he hadn't any left.

Remus watched the boy for a while, and he couldn't help but think that his reaction was similar to something he himself had gone through after he found out that his lover was about to marry someone else, and the pain of his loss just wouldn't stop. 'Don't think anything like that. He is so much stronger than I was. He would never become addic-' He shook his head to clear his mind from such an absurd idea. 'He is stronger than that,' he told himself. But there was this little bit of doubt that wouldn't stop tugging on his mind. He looked up when he heard a sarcastic laugh come from the young Slytherin.

"I'm such an idiot," Tiger said, shaking his head.

"I think you said that already." Remus smiled at him. "You know that his memory might come back any day?"

"I know that," Tiger said. "But I hope he will know who I really am by then. Not Tiger Ryan, the boy who just appeared one day. Not Harry Potter, the boy who lived. Not James Potter's son. Just me."

"He will. I'm sure about that," Remus said reassuringly.

The two drank their tea and talked a bit about anything and everything until Tiger said he wanted to read more of Sirius' journal. So Remus got it and started to read out loud, while Tiger lay with his head in Remus' lap, listening to every word.

After three hours of reliving Sirius' memories, Tiger made his way back to the common room. He went into his dorm and stripped down to his boxers, then climbed into bed and wrapped his arms around a sleeping Draco.

"Everything alright?" the blond asked, half asleep.

"Yes. Go back to sleep." Tiger kissed his neck.

"Mmh. Love you," Draco mumbled softly.

Tiger smiled and snuggled closer to Draco before falling in a restful sleep.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	26. revealing the past

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 26 – Revealing the Past **

The next few days went uneventfully. Snape still couldn't remember what really happened in his rooms, and Tiger's daily detentions were by now a routine event, consisting of making potions, marking homework, and talking about the 'ignorant brats' lack of potion knowledge.

The young Slytherin had brewed a new cauldron of capitis sanare potion after he had the opportunity to nick some more of Snape's arboris root from his personal store. As the two of them prepared the potion for Madam Pomfrey, he faked an incident in which he ruined his potion and had to start anew. He hadn't used the arboris root in his first brew, but told Snape he had. So he got a second root, and hid the first in his bag.

There was a panicked moment when Snape said something about missing arboris root last year, and Tiger could almost see that the Potions Master was trying to remember something, but fortunately the memory didn't return.

This encounter had given Tiger a small headache, so he'd nicked two vials of the potion at the end of their session to last until he had the opportunity to brew the potion for himself.

He knew this stuff wasn't good for him, but he couldn't help taking it. So one night when he knew Snape wasn't in the castle – because he'd cancelled the detention, and Draco had told him Severus was meeting with Narcissa in his Mansion - he went into the Potions classroom and prepared the potion.

After he finished and the potion had cooled, he bottled it into vials and put them in his wooden box, where he always kept them. He hadn't had enough to refill all the vials with triple doses, so he distributed the concoction evenly and filled the rest of the vials with water - which wouldn't harm the potion or lessen its intensity, but let Tiger believe he got his usual portion of three doses.

He tricked himself in believing this by speaking a spell over the vials that would convince him that there was his usual amount of capitis sanare potion, even if his body told him otherwise. By doing that, he hoped he would someday be able to live without this stuff, because he feared a repeat of what had happened with Snape.

It was true his outburst hadn't been entirely because his head of house had discovered his addiction, but now he was afraid that should Draco or anyone find out about it, they would abandon him. And that was a thought he couldn't bear.

He knew it would be hard, but he also knew he had to do it alone. He couldn't ask for help; he was too ashamed of his weakness. He had sworn to himself the day he had brewed the potion for himself the first time that he wouldn't get addicted to it; that it was just because of the visions Voldemort sent him. He swore that the moment he mastered Occlumency, he would stop taking it. But then Sirius had died, and the pain just wouldn't stop anymore; he hadn't any intention to work on his Occlumency, and he just wanted to feel nothing - only the numbness an overdose of the potion would provide.

That all changed the day the Malfoys 'rescued' him from the Dursleys and pulled him out of his traumatic state. The moment they offered him a new life, he wanted to leave everything behind him.

And at first he'd thought he'd achieved that goal, because the moment Tiger Ryan was born, all the problems Harry Potter had were gone. But the day after his and Draco's potion accident it all came crashing down on him. The after-effects of the overdosed cheering potion had given Tiger his first real headache since he was with the Malfoys. It was so intense that he couldn't stop himself, and he got the capitis sanare potion from one of the first aid boxes that were in the house.

He had discovered the potion within the box as they attended to Lucius' injuries after his encounter with Voldemort. Only the thought that now that Harry Potter was dead he didn't need the potion anymore, helped him resist the urge to collect every single vial, and hide them in his room.

That day he brewed himself a new cauldron-full of the potion, and after finding the wooden box in a room full of unused supplies, he'd filled twenty vials with the potion; three doses per each vial. That was the moment he noticed he was addicted, and that was the moment he knew that no one could ever know about it.

The 'relationship' between Tiger and Draco developed slowly but steadily after the bludger incident. Whenever they were seen together they were holding hands, or wrapped in each other's arms. But not once were they found kissing; not even a little peck when they had to separate for classes.

The evenings they spent together with the other Slytherins in the common room. Draco waited for Tiger to come back from his detention, and damned himself that he had made Severus give Tiger the detention in the first place. Their bet was obviously still on, but for now Draco laid low in trying to make Tiger wear robes again, and just waited for a good opportunity to strike.

Lately Tiger didn't spent as much time with Snape as usual, so he and Draco still had a few hours together every evening. Tiger would come in at around nine o'clock and sit on the couch beside Draco. The blond would lay his head down in Tiger's lap, and Tiger would absentmindedly stroke his neck the whole evening through, until it was time to go to bed. There they would snuggle close together and kiss for a while, before falling asleep in each other's arms.

The opportunity for Draco to trick Tiger into wearing robes occurred on the last weekend in September, when Professor Dumbledore announced that the head Boy and Girl planned to hold a costume ball on Halloween. The Head Boy and Girl were responsible for coordinating such events, together with the professors. Usually there was only a feast on Halloween Eve, but this year's Head Girl was an American, and she wanted to show the school how they celebrated this holiday at home.

He didn't know yet what Tiger would wear, but now he knew he wouldn't lose this bet after all. He hadn't thought it possible after Tiger had accepted the detentions from Snape and the daily point-loss, but after the announcement today he did have new hopes that he would win the bet in the end. After all, the first part of his plan had already worked.

He had spoken to Jamie Conner – this year's Head Girl, a Hufflepuff – after one of the prefects meetings, and had asked about her accent. When she told him she was born in America, he remembered his father once talking about the different festivities in the USA; and a plan began to form in his mind.

He asked her about Halloween, and after she told him about how they celebrate it at home, he put on his 'poor little boy' mask on, and complained in a small voice that he had never experienced such a feast, and neither had most of the other students. To top his act off, he also mentioned that it was Tiger's first year away from 'home', and that he would probably miss the traditional American Halloween feast terribly.

Draco knew that did the trick, because he saw Jamie's eyes sadden at the mention of Tiger's grief. He supposed she had a bit of a crush on his – his – boyfriend ('The bitch,' he thought,) and would do anything for him.

'Note to self; use her for future favours concerning Tiger.'

After the meeting, Draco had a big smile on his face for the rest of the evening, but refused to tell Tiger what he was happy about. When he saw the same smile on the blond's face after Professor Dumbledore's announcement, he knew that he had something to do with it, and after quick consideration, he thought he knew what Draco was trying to achieve.

'Nice idea, Dragon, but you won't win: not if I can help it,' Tiger thought, as he smiled back at the blond.

On the first of October, the official Quidditch team lists were published, which caused a lot of excitement in the whole school. Some players who had been on their team for years, were now only reserve players, or sometimes even totally banned. A quick scan of the list showed that the latter only counted for people like Crabbe and Goyle who only got on the team because of their strength. The ones that were on the teams and really wanted to play but weren't good enough were now reserve players.

Tiger groaned when he saw the Slytherin list. Nott was on the team, together with Patrick Parker, who hit the Bludger that caused Tiger a visit to the hospital wing. Blaise, Draco, and Tiger had all made it onto the team. Tiger read the other names and nodded to himself. 'Derrick and Simon played well together with Blaise at the try outs. This will be a really good team, this year.'

He scanned the other teams, and was only mildly surprised that Ginny Weasley wasn't Gryffindor's Seeker anymore. Not because she wasn't good, but because he knew she wanted to play Chaser. And she had achieved her goal, along with Katie Bell – who was Gryffindor's captain – and Lindsay Summer, one of Ginny's classmates. Ron was still Keeper. And Max O'Brian and Frank Peterson will make good Beaters, if their Quidditch talent was only a fraction of that of their idols'.

Max and Frank were third years, and had already proven that they were the successors of Fred and George Weasley in mischief making. They are nearly as often in trouble as the twins had been, and they, too, had the habit of ending each other's sentences. Tiger had met them a lot in the last weeks, while he served his detention.

At least once a week they had to serve detention with Snape. He had always thought the Weasley twins were nerve-wracking, but with the Malfoy twins at Hogwarts too, the prank rate in school rose to a height that came near Marauder's standards.

"Oh, my god, I'm on the team." Tiger came out of his musing when he heard an excited voice beside him.

"Alex!" he said, surprised.

"Oh, hello, Tiger. Have you seen? I'm Gryffindor's new Seeker! Look!" Alexandra Finnigan pointed enthusiastically to her name behind the word 'Seeker' on the Gryffindor list.

Tiger smiled down at the second year. They had become friends at the beginning of the school year after Snape had started to give Alex advanced Potions lessons, after Tiger had shown him the summer homework she had done, which had been sixth year material. Alex was often in the dungeons with Snape and Tiger while the young Slytherin served his detention. Lately she was even allowed to grade the first year's homework. "Congratulation, Alex. I hadn't known you tried out."

"Actually, I hadn't." At Tiger's confused look, she explained. "You know I was sick the whole of last week and couldn't try out. But I had already played a few times with the old members of the team, and a few others this year. They said I was really good. I always got the Snitch first, even if I flew against Ginny. They wanted me to play Seeker, so they talked to Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch, and I got a chance to play against the other potential Seekers. They said I was the best," she finished, a little flushed.

"You are the best," a new voice came from behind them.

"Seamus!" Alex said joyfully, "I'm on the team!" She threw herself at her brother, who lifted her into the air and whirled her around, laughing.

"I'm really proud. I just hope I won't get into a conflict with myself when I announce the play-by-play for the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match next month." Seamus was the new commentator, since Lee Jordan had graduated last year.

"Why would you? You're a Gryffindor."

"Yes, but the Slytherin Seeker is the sexiest thing I've ever seen." He smiled at Tiger seductively, who blushed and tried to avoid his eyes.

"Hallo, Seamus," he mumbled, embarrassed.

"Hello, sexy," Seamus purred.

"And hello to me, too." Yet another voice announced the arrival of Draco. The blond walked closer to Tiger and wrapped a possessive arm around his waist. "Fuck off, Finnigan."

"Aren't we charming, today," Seamus commented.

Draco just glared at him.

"Well, see you in class, Tiger," the Irishman said, with a smile.

Then looking at Draco, he said, "Malfoy," and nodded politely to the blond.

"Let's go, Miss Seeker. I'll pay for your breakfast today."

"But it's always free!" Alex laughed, and let herself be lead into the Great Hall.

"We're on the team; Blaise, too. And you're captain," Tiger said, as he turned to Draco.

"That's great." the blond said stiffly.

"Oh, come on." Tiger shoved him playfully, then he leant closer and whispered in Draco's ear. "You know I'm yours; now, and forever."

Draco shivered as he felt Tiger's breath against his ear.

"Let's go! I'm starving." Tiger grabbed Draco's hand, and together they walked into the Great Hall.

"Who else is on the team?" Draco asked, as he sat down beside Tiger.

"Derrick and Simon as Chasers, and Patrick and Nott as Beaters." Tiger shot a glare in the direction of the last mentioned boy, but it wasn't noticed as Draco started ranting.

"I can't believe Severus really put Parker on the team! He almost killed you."

"Don't be overdramatic, Draco. He's a good Beater, and that can only be good for the team." He laid a hand on Draco's thigh, and the blond calmed instantly.

"I still don't like him," Draco pouted, so that only Tiger could see.

"We don't have to like everyone on the team…" Tiger gave Nott another glare, and this time the other boy noticed him - and with an arrogant smirk, he raised his goblet and saluted Tiger. "…but we have to tolerate them," he finished, and went back to eating his breakfast.

For the rest of the day Tiger's mood was down, and so as not snap at Draco (or no more than he'd already done), he spent the evening after his detention in Remus' quarters reading Sirius' journal.

Remus had to grade some essays, so Tiger was reading alone. He lay on the couch on his back, the book floating wandlessly above his head. He had been reading for a while, when he came to a part that surprised him.

… we knew Moony wouldn't be up to a big party this year because of the full moon the night after his birthday. But that was perfect for us, because the biggest present we had for him was that we had finally finished our Animagus training. I think we couldn't have waited much longer or Remus would have gotten totally mad, because he'd thought we didn't want him as our friend anymore. We had so many secrets that everyone thought there was something wrong between the four of us.

But in the end the surprise was successful. That was the first transformation Remus didn't end up in the hospital wing with injuries afterward.

Granted, there had been moments when I thought we wouldn't survive the night. After we made our way through the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack, we weren't all that sure anymore whether we had done the right thing. How would the wolf react to us? But there was only one answer to that. So we enter the Shack carefully, and searched for the room where Moony had been locked up every month since he'd started Hogwarts.

I unlocked the door, and we transformed into our Animagus forms. I entered first, only to come face to face with a very angry werewolf. Believe me, Harry, I've never had as much fear as in that moment. Do you know how many teeth a werewolf has? Too many.

I really didn't know what to do. The only thing that came to mind was a scene I once saw in a book about 'normal' wolves; how the alpha accepts a new wolf into his pack. I ducked my head and exposed my neck to Moony, and waited to see what would happen. The werewolf stepped closer and sniffed me for a long time before, at last, he bit my neck.

I thought I would wet myself at that moment, but luckily I was too frightened to remember how.

After that, everything happened in a blur. Before I'd even registered that Moony had accepted me into his pack, were we jumping around each other like little cubs. I can't really remember when Prongs and Wormtail joined us, but eventually we were all three accepted into Moony's pack.

I will never forget the day of our first transformation; 3rd of October of our fifth year – Remus' fifteenth birthday.

"Your birthday is in two days," Tiger said, after he'd finished reading the entry.

"What?" Remus asked, surprised. He looked up from his work but could only see the floating book over the back of the sofa.

"Your birthday is in two days," Tiger repeated, and looked at Remus over the back of the couch.

"Yes, it is. How do you know?"

"Sirius wrote about the first time they spent the full moon with you."

"It was the happiest birthday of my life." Remus smiled.

"Aren't you ready yet? We could read together for a while longer."

"I've still one essay to grade, and Hermione's," Remus said, as if it would explain everything. "Anyway, it's quite late. You should go back to your common room."

"Please, just one more entry. Just until you finish with the essay. Please?" Tiger gave him his best puppy dog eyes.

"You're worse than Sirius," Remus laughed. Tiger smiled at being compared to his godfather, and went back reading.

"I haven't said yes, Tiger," Remus commented, mock sternly.

"Because you just can't say no to me." Tiger gave him a winning smile, and lay back down.

We were all so excited about our transformation, later on Remus' birthday, that we never noticed that he hadn't gone back to sleep after breakfast, like he said he would, but that he'd met his not-so-secret lover.

We knew the two had been together since Christmas the year before. Remus had stayed at Hogwarts that year because of the full moon. James, Peter and I had gone home after Remus had threatened to hex us if we stayed just for him. Full moon had been the night before Christmas Eve, so Remus would have been totally exhausted and only slept the whole day. Therefore he wouldn't have noticed if we were there or not.

He was one of only six students who stayed over Christmas, and the only Gryffindor.

The two had met in the hospital wing on Christmas Eve and had talk for the first time ever. Remus later told me it took them the rest of the holiday to even kiss for the first time. I couldn't believe it. I knew he could charm every girl with his smile; even better than I could. But then I didn't know who this mysterious girl was. He just didn't want to tell us.

Over the next months we noticed that he went around alone a lot, but we hadn't commented on it because that gave us time to learn to become Animagi. But then one night James and I were on our way to the kitchen when we noticed a familiar name on the Marauder's Map just a few classrooms away. We knew Moony was out with his love, so at first we didn't want to interrupt. But then we read the second name beside his, and we feared our friend was in trouble.

We pulled our wands and walked over to the classroom. We opened the door and entered, unnoticed because we were under Prong's invisibility cloak. We were prepared for the worst, but what greeted us was the last thing on my mind. I remember it as if it was yesterday.

"I never thought I could ever be so happy in my whole life," Remus said, as he pressed his naked and sweaty body against that of his lover.

"You are the most wonderful person in this world, Remus. You deserve every bit of happiness you get, and a lot more." Fingers wandered over Remus' chest, tracing up and down his many scars. "You're so beautiful, Remus Lupin." A kiss to the scar on his left shoulder, where the werewolf had bitten him. "So indescribably beautiful." Another kiss to the scar on his collarbone which had been Moony's personal Christmas present for Remus that year.

Remus didn't think of the wolf as being a part of himself. He was Remus, and the wolf was 'Moony'. Before the rest of the Marauders joined Remus on the full moons, the wolf (Moony) injured himself every month. Since the full moon was the day before Christmas Eve, Remus saw his newest addition to his many scars as Moony's Christmas present. At that time Remus' curse was nothing but a curse. Later when his friends joined him, it was at least somewhat tolerable.

"I'm just a-" Remus protested, but was cut of by a stern voice.

"You're nothing 'just'. You're everything to me: Everything, and more." A pale finger caught a single tear on Remus' cheek. Both hands lay flat against Remus' cheeks, and the thumbs stroked softly over his closed eyes. A kiss was planted on his lips, and then words were whispered against those lips. "I love you, Remus Lupin. I will ever love you, cub."

"I love you, too, Lucius."

Before that day I thought Lucius Malfoy was a cold hearted bastard, but when I saw all that love between the two of them, I knew our Remy had found true happiness for the first time in his life.

I could never forgive Narcissa for taking him away from Remus. I knew it was an arranged marriage, and if Remus hadn't been so damn stubborn he'd probably still be together with Lucius. The day the marriage plans were announced I practically saw Remus' heart break. He has never been the same since then.

"Finally!"

Surprised, Tiger sat up and looked over to Remus. "I swear, one day I will stop giving your class homework just so I don't have to read Hermione's essays," Remus laughed. "She always has to write the most detailed essays, doesn't she?"

Tiger smiled, stilled touched by what he'd just read. "Yes," he said, and stood up. Stretching his limbs and yawning dramatically, with his back to Remus, Tiger made his way to the door. "I'm off, then. Good night."

"What, no protests?" Remus wondered.

"Not tonight. I'm really tired." Tiger smiled at Remus from at the door. "See you tomorrow." He waved, and left for the Slytherin dungeons.

When Tiger entered the common room it was nearly deserted. Only one lone figure lay sleeping on the couch, a book lying forgotten on the floor beside it.

Smiling, Tiger walked over and picked the book up, placing it on the table. Then he scooped the sleeping blond into his arms and carried him to bed.

"Tiger?" a sleepy voice asked.

"Yes."

"Missed you."

"I was with Remus. I'm sorry I snapped at you today." He placed the blond on his bed and began to undress him. "I had to go away, or I'd have accidentally? said something to hurt you."

"Have a nice evening?" Draco asked, still half asleep.

"Remember the Journal I told you about?" Tiger asked, while he undressed himself.

"Sirius'?" All of a sudden the blond was wide awake. Tiger hadn't spoken about the contents of the journal before.

"Mm-hm." Tiger nodded. He crawled under the covers and closed the curtains with a swish of his wand, locking and sound proofing it.

Draco cuddled close to him and started to trace little circles around his belly button. "Read something interesting?"

"Very," Tiger replied, while his hands stroked through the blond's hair. "Remus' birthday is in two days."

"That isn't interesting," Draco complained.

"No, but the fact that I know who Remus' true love is, is interesting."

"Tell me, tell me, tell me." Draco bounced up and down on the bed before he landed on Tiger, straddling the boy. "Tell me!"

"What do you know about your parents' school years? Their love lives, especially." The dark haired boy grinned mischievously.

"They weren't in love with each other. Their marriage was arranged, but they were really good friends. Mum was in love with Severus when she had to marry Dad."

"And your dad?"

"I don't know. He told me that there had been a special someone once, but it didn't last because of his marriage."

"Any names?" Tiger asked mysteriously.

"No," Draco said sadly. Then his eyes widened in disbelief… "No way."

"Yes." Tiger smiled.

"No way. Dad and Professor Lupin? No way."

"You wouldn't believe how much they loved each other. I read what Sirius wrote about them, and I was really touched."

"Do you believe they still have feelings for each other?" Draco asked thoughtfully.

"I think Remus is still hurt, but where there is hurt, there are still feelings. What about Lucius?"

"He's had his fair share of bed-partners, but there was nothing serious."

"But does he still have feelings for Remus?"

"I don't know."

"There is only one way to know for sure." Tiger smiled mysteriously. He pulled the blond's head down and whispered in his ear. Draco's smile grew with every word.

After their plan was made they cuddled close together, and fell asleep soon after.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	27. Remus' Birthday

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 27 - Remus' Birthday**

"Are you sure this is okay, Tiger?" Remus asked sceptically, as he walked beside Tiger to the gates of Hogwarts. "After all, what student takes his teacher out for dinner on his birthday?"

"Me. And yes, it is okay. Professor Dumbledore said so. And I don't think anyone would recognize us there. It is, after all, Muggle, and another country."

"And obviously very expensive, if my clothes are any indication," Remus interrupted him. "I can't believe you bought me this," he said, indicating the new black suit and red shirt he was wearing. He'd been totally taken aback when Tiger had given it to him this morning, together with the invitation to dinner and the request to wear his new clothes.

"Not this again, Remus. Why can't you just accept it and enjoy the day?"

"Because it is too much," Remus protested.

"I told you I can afford it."

"But you gave all your money to the Weasleys and me," Remus countered, and added in an afterthought, "I should arrange to transfer it back to you."

"Don't you dare," Tiger said seriously. "It is your money. It should have been yours anyway. Sirius would have wanted it to be yours. And anyway, I still have enough to last a very long time."

"What did you tell Draco about where you are going?" Remus asked, changing the subject.

"The truth, of course. Actually, he was the one who recommended this place."

"Where are we going, anyway?" Remus asked, as they stopped just behind the gates.

"You'll see," Tiger said, as he pulled out a small golden pocket watch from his suit jacket. He wore a dark blue suit with a dark green shirt. "Hold on to it," he told Remus. The moment they both had their hands on the watch, they felt a pull on their navels, and the world vanished in front of their eyes.

A moment later they landed in some dark alleyway. Tiger pocketed the watch, and together they left the small alley to enter a sunny street full of little restaurants and-

"Is that the sea?" Remus asked, surprised. He looked around a bit more before he continued. "We're in France, aren't we?"

"In Nice, to be precise." Tiger smiled at Remus' astonished face.

"I thought so," he said, more to himself than to Tiger, looking around once more before he turned back to Tiger. "But why Nice? Why not London, or somewhere else in Britain? Why France?"

"For one thing, there are definitely no Death Eaters here; and because I wanted the weather to be warm and sunny. And because, like I said, Draco told me about this place."

"It's really beautiful," Remus said about the sight before them. The sun was shining high over the sea, which shone a deep turquoise. There were only a few small white clouds that looked like candy floss. "Just like the last time," he added quietly, but Tiger heard it.

"You've been here before?" he asked, surprised. Then he watched, perplexed, as Remus started to walk towards the promenade without noticing him at all. "That's the wrong direction, Remus," he said, smiling. "Remus?" Confused, he followed his friend when he didn't react to his calling.

Remus stopped at the stairs that led down to the beach, and ran a hand over the small wall that separated the beach from the promenade. "I've been here before," he whispered more to himself than to Tiger, who had just arrived beside him. He descended the stairs and walked a few meters - the length of the wall - until he reached a small alcove in the brickwork.

Tiger followed him, and watched as Remus traced his hand over a small engraving in the stone.

"It's still there." The moment Remus' fingers touched the engraving, his face shone brightly from happiness. Even Tiger felt the warmth flowing through his body, and memories of Remus and Lucius played in front of his inner eye.

All this happed within a few seconds, and left a happy Remus and an extremely blushing Tiger. He had got such an insight into Remus' and Lucius' private life, which he'd never thought he'd ever have.

'Oh, my god; they were so hot,' he thought, as he adjusted his trousers uncomfortably.

"You okay, Tiger?" Remus asked with a bright smile on his face. He laughed as he saw Tiger blushing even more. "I'm sorry. I didn't know the outburst would be so intense that you'd feel it, too."

"What was that?" Tiger asked, as he got his first real look at the engraving.

"Everything and more – L+R," he said as he read what was written on the wall. The moment the last word left his mouth, he realized what it meant.

'Oh my god. They've been here together in the past. I wonder if Draco knew. Hopefully it won't ruin Remus' birthday. But he seems to be happy.' He was interrupted in his thinking as Remus spoke.

"You don't seem to be really shocked about what you've just experienced," Remus said softly.

"Oh believe me, I am. What was that?" He asked again, and reached his hand out to the engraving.

"Don't." Remus held his hand back. "I don't know what will happen if anyone but Lucius or I touched it. Let's go back, or I might be tempted to touch it again." Remus led Tiger from the beach and onto the promenade, where they sat down on a bench.

"It's magically sealed, isn't it?" Tiger asked, after they'd sat down.

"Yes, it is. How do you know?"

"Yours is the only engraving in the whole alcove. Normally this would be the perfect place for Muggle couples to declare their love; just like you did." He watched, astonished, as Remus' face lit up even more. "What caused the memory flood?" he asked, and waited again as he noticed Remus remembering his happy past with Lucius again. 'Hopefully there'll be a happy future for them, too.

"It's a spell that makes us remember every happy memory together if we touch the writing. We touched it together once, and it was the most intense feeling I've ever felt," he explained dreamily.

Tiger smiled brightly at his friend's happiness. He hated himself for what he had to ask now to not give away that he already knew about their relationship.

"I never knew you were together. You must still be, for how you're glowing with happiness. Why haven't you told me? Why hasn't Lucius? Does Draco know? You sure as hell did a good performance the day when you threw me out of your rooms after I confronted you about your feelings for the Malfoys." He waited for Remus to fall into depression, but to his great surprise and relief, there was only a little waver in his smile.

"We aren't together anymore: haven't been for nearly twenty years."

"But you're so happy right now." Tiger could punch himself for his nosiness, but he just had to know.

"That's because the spell prevented us from being sad or angry about the other, regardless what our feelings for the other are at the moment we touch the stone. As much as I'd try I couldn't be unhappy at the moment. For all I care, Voldemort could come and kill me right now, and I would welcome him with a smile."

"I don't know but I should be sorry for bringing you here for your birthday. Of all places, it had to be the one where you have the most precious memories about Lucius."

"Don't be sorry, Tiger. To be honest, this is my first really happy birthday in many years. But you're wrong on one point; they are not my most precious memories of my time with Lucius."

"No?" Tiger asked, confused.

"Oh, they are certainly very fond memories, but the most precious one is right here." He laid his hand over his heart. "The stone was like a sort of pensieve. We put a lot of our memories in it, but we both knew that this one memory in particular was too valuable to file away somewhere in the farthest corners of our minds."

"Because every memory that is put into a pensieve would vanish into the depths of one's mind, and probably be totally forgotten."

"Yes. That's exactly the reason."

"But what about all the other memories?"

"Believe it or not, there are enough memories left in my mind to fill three pensieves. And most of them are still pleasant ones."

Tiger watched his friend silently for a while before he remembered why they had come here in the first place.

"We should go, or our reservation will expire."

"Just one minute longer," Remus said, and looked out over the width of the sea. The sun was still high in the sky – it was only six in the afternoon – and promised a wonderful sunset later that day.

They enjoyed the sight a little longer before Tiger led Remus down the street to an expensive looking restaurant.

"I hope you're hungry." Tiger smiled at Remus as the man at the entrance opened the door for them. He never heard the response; whether because there was none, or he just didn't notice, he didn't know, because the moment they entered the restaurant he was greeted with one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever seen.

The room was everything one expects from a romantic restaurant. The walls were decorated with cloth of the finest material, and here and there hung some of the fabric from the ceiling, separating the tables from each other. The only light in the room came from candles - hundreds of candles. Some stood on the tables, but most of them hung on the walls or from the ceiling.

"Monsieur." Tiger snapped out of his amazement, and turned to the maitre de.

"Excuse me. Eh, I mean excuse moi. Bonsoir," he said, remembering where he was. He thought a moment what Draco had taught him to say to the 'garcon' when he entered the restaurant. "Je m'appelle Tiger-"

"Please, sir. There is no need. You can talk in English with every one of our waiters," the maitre de said.

"Thanks to god," Tiger sighed in relief. "And here I thought I'd have to struggle through all this." He smiled, slightly blushing.

"Do you have a reservation?" the man asked.

"Yes. My name is Tiger Ryan. I've-"

""Ah, yes, Mr. Ryan." He waved a waiter over to them, and told him a few things in French before he turned back to Tiger and Remus, but the older man was too occupied examining the room to pay attention. "This is Pierre," he said, pointing to a young man who wasn't much older than Tiger himself. He will be your personal waiter tonight."

"Thank you," Tiger said, and turned to the waiter.

The maitre de had to give the young man a slight shove to get his attention.

Blushing, the boy looked away from Tiger for a moment, and addressed Remus, who had finished his examination of the room. "Would you please follow me?" He led them to a table in the far corner of the restaurant, where a small chandelier hung directly over the table. The chairs stood facing the sides of the restaurant, not the front and back, so that the patrons wouldn't be distracted by new arrivals.

The waiter held out a chair for Remus, but the Professor was already behind the other chair. It didn't matter, though, because the young man only had eyes for Tiger. "My name is Pierre. I'm you're personal waiter tonight," he said, as he helped Tiger with his chair.

"Thank you." Tiger smiled at him, which caused the young Frenchman to blush again.

"Yes, we want to look at the menu, thank you," Remus said, to bring Pierre back from his drooling.

"Eh, yes. Sorry." He blushed even more, and handed them both a menu. "Do you want something to drink?" he asked, avoiding both their eyes.

"We'd like a bottle of your best red wine, please," Tiger said sweetly.

"Red wine; yes. Well. I will get the bottle," the boy stammered, and turned away. Before he took his first step he turned back and looked at Tiger again. "Red wine. In a bottle."

"That would be too kind," Tiger responded in a sexy voice.

"Well - I'm going then," Pierre said, before he left for the bar, nearly running into one of the other waiters.

"Do you have to do that?" Remus asked, a smile plastered on his face.

"Do what?" Tiger asked innocently.

"The poor boy is totally beside himself. Do you know if there was some Veela essences in the potion Draco gave you?"

"What; you don't think it's my natural charm working here?" Tiger asked, in a playful hurt tone.

"What natural charm?" Remus laughed at the angry look on Tiger's face.

"Here is your wine." Pierre's voice interrupted Tiger's retort. The boy served the wine and then took their order.

Remus ordered for both of them, because Tiger was teasing Pierre again by moaning about not knowing what to choose. He stuck his lower lip out and pouted liked a two year old. Pierre's eyes were glued to this pout, so he didn't notice when Remus tried to get his attention.

Annoyed, Remus grabbed the waiter's arm, and pulled him around to face him. He ordered a four-course meal for both himself and Tiger – to Tiger's immense surprise doing so in perfect French – before berating the boy to pay better attention to his job – or something like that. Tiger couldn't understand a word, but from Pierre's expression it must be so. And then Remus sent him on his way.

The moment Pierre was gone, Tiger started his questioning. "You speak French? Why haven't you told me? You could have talked to the maitre de. What did you tell Pierre? And most importantly, what did you order for us to eat?" Tiger asked, skipping through the menu, searching for anything that looked like what Remus had said.

"Don't bother searching: it isn't on the menu," Remus said calmly, ignoring all of Tiger's questions.

"Then how do you know they serve it here?" Tiger asked, confused.

"Lucius and I often ate here together. We always sat at this table under the chandelier, and I always sat in this place," Remus said dreamily.

"Oh. I didn't know. Sorry. I told you, Draco-"

"Yes, you told me Draco recommended this restaurant. And I told you that I can't be sad or angry about Lucius. So stop worrying, and let's enjoy this evening." Remus smiled.

"You're right," Tiger said, and lifted his wine glass. "To your birthday," he toasted.

"To a wonderful evening with a good friend," Remus replied, and clinked his glass to Tiger's.

Tiger and Remus had a pleasant time together while waiting for their meal. They talked a lot about Remus' past, his time at school, his friends, and so on.

Just as Pierre started to serve the first course, a second waiter led new patrons to the table next to hem.

"Cette table vous est-elle agreeable, monsieur Malfoy?"

Tiger didn't turn around to look who had just arrived. The look on Remus face told him which 'Monsieur Malfoy', exactly, stood there. And from the waiter's repeated question of 'Monsieur Malfoy?' he assumed that said Malfoy had noticed him, too.

"Lucius," Remus whispered breathlessly.

"Remus." Lucius sounded as surprised as Remus.

Tiger looked from Remus to Lucius, and noticed the same love and longing in both their eyes.

"Come on." A voice brought him out of his staring. He turned around and found Draco standing beside him, holding out a hand to him. Tiger took it and let himself be led away from the table, and out of the restaurant. At the door, they turned around and saw that the two men hadn't moved a bit. Lucius was still standing in front of the table, and the two were looking at each other.

"Wait here a moment," Draco said, and walked back to the table.

"What are you doing?" Tiger asked after him, but the blond just smiled at him and walked on.

From the entrance, Tiger watched as Draco led his father to Tiger's vacated chair, and sat him down. The elder Malfoy complied without really noticing anything but the man across the table. Now Draco put a fork in his father's left hand, and a knife in his right hand. He repeated the process with Remus, and Tiger could hear him say "Bon appétit," before he turned around and walked away from the table. In an afterthought, Draco turned back around and grabbed the wine bottle from the table before he once again turned and walked over to Tiger. On his way, he grabbed two glasses from an unoccupied table before he joined Tiger.

"Let's go." He smiled at the dark haired boy, who looked a bit confused.

"But-"

"No buts. Come on." He held the bottle and glasses in one hand and with the other, he took Tiger's and led them out of the restaurant. At the door, he nodded at the receptionist, who nodded back in understanding. And the moment the two boys left, he called one of his waiters to give him a new assignment.

-------

"Where are we going?" Tiger asked, as Draco led him around the restaurant through a dark alleyway. "Do we have to go back already? I'm still hungry, and I'd hoped to see the sunset over the sea tonight. I've never been to the sea before."

"You grew up in California," Draco joked.

"Very funny. Well, if you want to know, I was too occupied snogging my various boyfriends every night to notice anything around me, let alone a mere sunset, when I was floating in the stars with my lovers," Tiger countered, with a smirk.

"That's not funny." Draco stopped abruptly and pulled Tiger close. They were standing chest to chest, and Draco's eyes burnt into Tiger's. "You're mine, and mine only," he said and, with a hand on the back of Tiger's neck, pulled the other boy into a passionate kiss.

Tiger felt his knees going weak, and he knew he'd have fallen if Draco hadn't wrapped his other arm around his waist. He felt the wine bottle pressed into his lower back for a moment before the feeling ceased, and Draco's flat hand was placed on his bottom. Absentmindedly, he wondered what happened to the bottle, but then all thoughts left him as Draco pulled his bum closer, pressing their growing erections together.

"Mine," Draco repeated.

"Now and forever," Tiger replied, moaning against Draco's mouth, and bucked his hips forward, pressing even harder against Draco.

"And don't you ever forget it," Draco said in a serious voice, and took a step back.

"What?" Dazed, Tiger opened his eyes and looked at him. "Why did you stop?" he whined.

"I don't know what you mean. I just kissed you. That's all," Draco replied, in a very good imitation of Tiger's most innocent voice.

"You bastard, you did this on purpose," Tiger growled. He stepped closer to Draco and tried to kiss him, but the blond took another step back.

"Oh no, you don't," Draco said, and placed a hand on Tiger's chest to keep him away. "Just a little taste of your own game," he said, and turned around. He grabbed the wine bottle and the two glasses from where they stood on the ground, and then pulled out a silver chain with the Malfoy crest out of his pocket. "Hold on to it." He held out the chain to Tiger.

"But I wanted to see the sunset," Tiger whined, still upset from Draco's teasing.

"You will, trust me." The blonde smiled and leant closer to whisper in Tiger's ear. "I promise you won't regret it."

Intrigued, Tiger grabbed the chain and instantly felt the familiar pull of the portkey activating. A moment later they landed again, and Tiger had to close his eyes against a bright light.

"Fuck, what's that?"

"The sun, of course, stupid," Draco said as he turned Tiger around to face him. "You alright?" he asked softly, as he pried Tiger's hands away from his eyes.

"You could have warned me, you know," Tiger grumbled. "I-" But when he got his first good look at where he was, words ceased to leave his mouth.

They were standing on the terrace to an enormous house. It wasn't nearly as big as Malfoy Manor, but big enough to house ten, if not twenty people. He turned around and gasped as he saw the terrace border on the beach. The finest white sand beach – not these little stones there - were in Nice. The sun was already setting over the sea, promising a beautiful light show when it hit the water.

Tiger felt arms wrap around him from behind, and a chin resting on his left shoulder. "Do you like it?" Draco asked, as he held out a glass of wine to Tiger.

"It's beautiful," Tiger said, as he took the glass and turned in Draco's arms to look at the blond. "Where are we?" He asked as he once again looked at the house in front of him.

"Malfoy beach," Draco said proudly.

"Malfoy beach?" Tiger asked in disbelief. "You have your own beach?"

"Yes. It's really cool. It's just a few miles away from Nice, but because of the Muggle repelling charms, no one knows about it. And of course the first thing Dad did when we bought the house, was charm the beach to what you can see now. I refused to play on those dreadfully sharp stones that were here before."

Tiger raised his hand to stroke over Draco's cheek. "Spoiled little brat," he teased, before kissing the blond's lips.

"I know," Draco whispered against Tiger's mouth, before he pulled back. "Let's drink to a wonderful evening for two," he said, as he lifted his wine glass.

"And to a romantic evening under the stars of Nice," Tiger added, and clinked his glass to Draco's.

They kissed once more, and then Draco led Tiger the few steps down to the sand, and to a small table that stood on a wooden platform, decorated just like the tables in the restaurant had been.

"What?" Tiger asked, surprised, as Draco held a chair out for him. He was even more surprised when, after Draco had seated himself, Pierre, the waiter from the restaurant, appeared with a 'crack' and served them dinner.

The young man smiled at Tiger slightly, but when a growl led him to turn around and look at Draco, he shied away. Unfortunately for him, Draco grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him close.

"Tu es ici pour servir le dîner, rien davantage, rien moins. Nous sommes-nous compris?"

"Oui, Monsieur Malfoy," Pierre stammered fearfully.

"Good. Now go. I'll call for the second course."

"Oui, Monsieur Malfoy. Bon appétit." The waiter bowed, and apparated away.

"What did you tell him?" Tiger asked, smiling at Draco's jealousy.

"That he is here to serve us dinner; nothing more, nothing less. The bastard all but ravished you with his eyes."

"Oh, you're so sweet when you're jealous," Tiger teased, and reached across the table for Draco's hand. "Don't forget," he said as he lifted Draco's hand to his lips, "I'm yours," he kissed the hand softly, "now, and forever."

Draco stroked his fingers softly over Tiger's lips. "Now and forever," he whispered, before he pulled his hand back. "Let's eat," he said, and the two started a wonderful dinner.

After they finished their main course, Draco called once again for Pierre. Moments later the waiter appeared, and with a swish of his wand, cleared the dishes from the table.

"We will take dessert down on the beach, Toby," he called out, and with a pop a house elf appeared beside Draco.

"Yes, Master Draco."

"Have you done what I told you this afternoon?"

"Yes, Master. Everything is ready."

"Very well. Please show this man where he should serve the dessert."

"As you wish, Master." The house elf led the waiter away, and Tiger turned to Draco.

"That was one of the Manor's house elves, wasn't it?"

"Yes. We don't have separate house elves for Malfoy beach. We aren't here often enough for own house elves here. Sometimes Toby and Dipsy or Timky and Dimply come here to look after the house."

"Holidays for the house elves," Tiger laughed.

"Come." Draco stood up and held his hand out to Tiger. "Let's eat dessert and watch the sun sink into the sea."

Tiger took his hand, and they went down to the water, where a blanket had been spread out for them. Beside a big ice-cream sundae there was a bottle of champagne and a bowl of fruits. Around the blanket were candles placed into the sand, and a single rose laid at the top of the blanket.

"Trying to seduce me?" Tiger teased, as they sat down on the blanket.

"Just making your first sunset at the sea unforgettable," Draco said, as he handed Tiger a glass of champagne.

"Oh, now I know what you're trying to achieve. You want to get me drunk, so you can ravish me."

"I don't have to get you drunk to do so," Draco purred, and leaned over to kiss Tiger. "It's nearly time."

They turned their heads around and watch the sun slowly sinking into the sea. They moved so that Tiger was sitting between Draco's legs and leaning against his chest, while the blond had conjured a thick, fluffy pillow that supported his back. Tiger held the big sundae in his hands, and Draco was feeding them both.

"Look, the water is burning." Tiger pointed to the horizon, where the sun seemed to be touching the sea, now. The water was glowing with a fiery red light.

Draco took the ice-cream from Tiger's hands and put it aside. Then he wrapped his arms around the other boy, and pulled him against his chest. He whispered in his ear,

"You know, there is only one thing I don't like about the sunset over the sea."

"What?" Tiger asked curiously, turning in the arms of his boyfriend to look him in the eye.

"The sun should be emerald green. Because this moment represents everything I see when I look in your eyes: just, the colour isn't right."

Tiger looked him deep in the eyes and asked, "What do you see?"

"I see fire, coolness, and power, but also passion, mischief, and innocence. Combine them, and it's like the sun that sank into the sea. Perfection." He whispered the last word against Tiger's mouth before he kissed him lovingly.

They lay there for a long while, kissing and just holding each other in their arms. By the time they separated, the sun was already totally gone.

"Do you think Remus and Lucius had as nice an evening as we did?" Tiger asked, as he stroked his hand through Draco's hair.

"I don't know. Do you think we should see whether they are still in the restaurant?"

"You just want to know what happened this evening."

"Don't tell me you don't."

"Of course I do," Tiger smiled. "Let's do it."

So they stood up, and Draco pulled the chain out of his pocket. As they both touch it, they were instantly transported to the dark alleyway beside the restaurant.

The entered the building and asked the receptionist about Remus and Lucius. After the man told them that they had left an hour ago, the two left again and walked over to the promenade, where they sat down on a bench.

"What do you think they are doing right now?" Tiger asked after a while. "Do you think they've talked about what has happened?"

"I'm sure they have. I'm sure they're sitting somewhere in a dark corner of a bar right now, and talking about their relationship."

"I hope so."

"I'd really like to see them now. How I wish I knew where they were."

"I think I know where," Tiger said all of a sudden, and stood up. He grabbed Draco's hand, and pulled him after him.

"Where are we going?" Draco asked, confused.

"You'll see," Tiger said mysteriously, and led Draco down to the beach and along the wall until they saw the alcove in the brickwork where two people lay arm in arm, talking softly to each other.

"Oh, my god, they're-"

"Shh…" Tiger shushed the excited blond, and pulled him away from the two adults.

"Did you see? Did you see?" Draco jumped up and down in front of Tiger as they stood on the promenade again. "They were holding hands! And I think Dad's other hand was stroking through Remus hair."

"Draco, either you are really, really happy for them, or you had too much wine," Tiger laughed, and pulled the blond into his arms.

"I'm really happy. I never told you, but when I was younger, I would often rummage around the Manor in search of a pirate's treasure. Dad always told me stories about pirates, and how they found treasures or took them from others. I always thought Dad was a pirate, too, so I searched the Manor for the treasure he had captured.

I found letters from what I presumed was a beautiful lady who was devoted to Dad, but now I know they were Remus' letters. They were full of love, and I always hoped for them to come back together. I never asked Dad who 'she' was, because I saw him once reading the letters, and he was crying. I do so hope they'll get back together." He laid his head on Tiger's shoulder and kissed him on the neck. "Thank you."

"For what?" Tiger asked, confused.

"It was you who found out about them. Thank you for making my Dad happy." Tiger just held the blond for a long time.

"I think we should go back," Tiger said eventually. "I don't want them to know we saw them. Let them have it out with each other before we confront them. Do you think they will spend the night at Malfoy beach?"

"Hopefully," Draco said, and the two of them made their way back to the alleyway beside the restaurant, from where they portkeyed back to Malfoy beach.

"Let's take a walk," Draco said as they arrived at the terrace.

"Wait." Tiger bent down and took off his shoes and socks, and pulled his trousers' legs up. "I don't want to ruin the new clothes."

"Have you ever heard of the words 'cleaning spell'?" Draco smirked, but then he, too, took off his shoes and socks, and pulled his trousers' legs up. "Let's go." He took hold of Tiger's hand, and together they wandered through the sand.

After they'd walked for about thirty minutes, Tiger asked how far the private beach reached.

"It's magically enlarged," Draco explained. "You can go as far as you want, and you would never come to an end. But," he stopped and turned Tiger around, who gasped at what he saw. "The house will never be further away than 200 feet." The house was still in clear sight, although they had walked at least a mile.

"Incredible."

"I know. Come on, I want to show you something." Draco led Tiger to the edge of the sea, and the moment his feet touched the water, a small rowboat appeared.

"How?" Tiger asked, puzzled.

"Magic." Draco showed him his wand. "Do you want to row a bit?" he asked. "Or what about…" With a swish of his wand, there was a blanket in the boat big enough for the both of them to lay beside each other.

"Yeah." Tiger smiled, and they entered the boat and lay down on the blanket. With a swish of Draco's wand, the boat moved out on the sea.

The two of them just lay there and enjoyed the small movements the boat made in the waves of the sea. They were holding hands and watching the stars, when Tiger sat up and looked down at Draco.

"Let's swim."

"What? No! It's far too cold," Draco replied, and pulled Tiger back down.

"Oh, come on, Draco." Tiger purred, and started to unbutton Draco's shirt.

"I won't complain about what you're doing," Draco said, and started to unbutton Tiger's shirt, too, "but I won't go swimming." He pulled Tiger's shirt off and reached for his trousers, but Tiger swatted his hand away and stood up.

"Are you sure you don't want to?" he asked, and started to open his trousers.

"No," Draco said, and lay back down, his hands behind his head, "I'll just enjoy this wonderful view." His eyes wandered up and down Tiger's body.

"You're a spoilsport, Draco Malfoy," Tiger said, as he balanced on one foot to take off his trousers. He was about to pull off the trousers completely, when a wave hit the boat and he lost his balance. Flailing his arms, he tried to steady himself but failed, and with a loud splash he fell into the water.

"Tiger!" Draco sat up abruptly and looked for his boyfriend, but he was nowhere to be seen. Then the legs of Tiger's trousers broke the surface of the water, but as Draco pulled them out, he found no one attached to the other end. "Tiger? Tiger!" Horrified, Draco threw his unbuttoned shirt off and jumped into the water. "Tiger?" he shouted again, before he dived. Seconds later he came back up, without Tiger. "Tiger?" he cried again.

"Yes?" an amused voice asked from the inside of the boat. Tiger was sitting there and smiling down at Draco. He held out his hand and pulled the blond back in the boat.

The moment Draco was onboard and had regained his balance, he gave Tiger a forceful push, which landed the dark haired boy back in the sea. "You bastard," Draco spat. "You stupid bastard!"

Tiger looked up at him from the water, not knowing what was wrong with Draco.

"Do you have any idea what I thought just happened to you? I thought you'd drowned!" Tears of despair were running down his cheeks as he glared at Tiger.

Now the dark haired boy realized that he'd gone too far. "Draco, I'm sorry. It was just a joke." He tried to climb back into the boat, but Draco shoved him away.

"You wanted to swim; now you can swim back to the strand!" With that, Draco waved his wand, and the boat started off in the direction of the beach.

Tiger followed him as fast as he could, all the time apologizing. As Draco reached the sand Tiger wasn't far behind. "Draco, wait, please."

"Fuck off," the blond said without waiting, and walked away.

The moment Tiger felt the sand under his feet he took off in a run to catch up with Draco. He grabbed his boyfriend's hand and stopped him. "Please, Draco."

"Don't touch me." The blond pulled his hand away and started to walk again, but Tiger grabbed him around his waist and pulled him against his chest.

"Please, Draco; I'm really sorry," he whispered in his ear. Draco turned in his arms and glared at him.

"You should have thought about that before your little stunt," he said, before he shoved the dark haired boy away.

Tiger was caught by surprise and landed face first in the sand. Sputtering, he stood back up and turned to Draco.

"Damn, Draco, that's gross," he said, as he tried to clean his sandy face with his likewise sandy hand, which caused him to swear quite colourfully.

Draco couldn't help but smile at the ridiculous scene Tiger made.

"Oh, you're enjoying yourself?" Tiger asked, annoyed.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Draco smirked. "Now I hope you will never do such a stupid stunt again."

"I promise," Tiger said reasonably. Then his eyes acquired a mischievous glint to them, and he opened his arms warmly to Draco. "Let's give us a hug and make up." He took a step forward, and Draco' smirk froze.

"Oh, no, you don't." He took a step back, and before Tiger could make another forward, he turned around and ran, Tiger not far behind.

"Oh, Draco," he purred, as he caught up with the blond – just a few feet away from the terrace - and looked at him from the side. Surprised, Draco turned his head to him, and shrieked as the dark haired boy jumped him, bringing them both to the ground. Laughing, the two of them rolled in the sand, trying to pin each other down.

Eventually Tiger won, and pressed Draco's wrists, with one hand, into the sand. He straddled the blond, and with his other hand carefully wiped sand from each of their mouths before he bent down and captured the blond's lips in a deep kiss.

An audible crack startled them, and Tiger sat up abruptly. There, at the edge of the terrace, stood Lucius and Remus, arm in arm, and looking down at the two boys, bemused smiles playing on their faces.

"Remus!" Tiger smiled, just as Draco said,

"Dad!" The blond sat up, and threw Tiger off of him.

"Ouff. Hey, dummy." Tiger pushed Draco, and the two started to brawl again.

"Come," Lucius said, turning to Remus. "Let's go inside. I think I promised you a glass of our 'Château Petrus'." They were about to start walking, when Draco's shout stopped them.

"Château Petrus?" Draco asked, stopping midair with a handful of sand. "You're going to open the 'Château Petrus'? Oh, father, please! You promised to allow me a glass when you taught me about the purity of the wine. Remember?"

"Ack," Tiger gagged, putting his finger into his mouth to emphasize his opinion. "You're talking like some snot-nose. 'Purity of the wine'? Ha! Next you'll be walking like someone had placed a stick up your arse," he laughed.

"Impertinent git." Draco stood up and started to brush the sand from his body, without success. He crossed his arms and held his head high, looking at his father for an answer. What he saw, shocked him.

Remus shook with silent laughter, his head buried in Lucius neck, and even the elder Malfoy had a hard time fighting a smile. Irritated, Draco looked from one to the other, and then to Tiger, who now stood behind him, still laughing heartily. Draco couldn't help himself; he started to laugh, too, and soon all four of them were laughing.

After a few minutes their laughter subsided, and Draco once again looked at his father questioningly. Only when Remus gave him a poke in the ribs did Lucius answer his son.

"If you'd like, you may join us," he said, before he turned to Remus and held a hand out for him. "Shall we?"

"With pleasure." He laid his hand in Lucius', and the two made their way to the house.

"Let's go." Draco grabbed Tiger's hand and followed the adults. At the door, Lucius turned around and looked at his son sternly.

"You will not enter my house like that. Go clean yourself first."

"I've forgotten my wand in the boat, Dad. Couldn't you?"

"Oh, very well. Accio wand."

While they waited for Draco's wand to appear, Tiger had another idea how to clean them. Silently he stepped behind Draco, and with the reflexes of a seeker, grabbed the other boy and carried him down to the sea. Before Draco knew what was happening to him, they landed together in the cold water.

Struggling against Tiger's grip, Draco unintentionally kicked between the other boy's legs, causing him to cry out in pain. Draco apologized instantly, but it was too late. With a gleam of mischief in his eyes, Tiger jumped him, and therefore started a full out water war. Only when the two simultaneously swallowed the wrong way and started to sputter, did they stop.

Tiger, in just his underwear, and Draco, still retaining his trousers, helped each other clean the last bit of sand from their bodies before they made their way back to the house. On the terrace, they both found their wands on their neatly folded clothes on the table.

Draco used his wand to dry them both, and Tiger followed with a spell that magically clothed them.

"Let's go inside," Draco said, and took Tiger's hand. Together they walked through the door into the house. Tiger gasped at what he saw.

They stood in a big library with three armchairs and two sofas, which were placed around a big fireplace. The walls were lined with shelf units full of books.

"Wow." Tiger didn't even notice Lucius and Remus sitting on one of the sofas watching him. He let go of Draco's hand and wandered around to look at the books. "Are these the same as in the Manor or the Castle?"

"No." Lucius voice came from the sofa, and for the first time, Tiger noticed the two adults in the room. "There is no book duplicated in our possession. Most of them are the very first book of the series, or even originals," he explained. "Now, would you like to join us for a glass of 'Château Petrus'?"

Tiger opened his mouth to answer, but Draco put a hand over it.

"Yes." He took Tiger's hand and pulled him over to sit with his father and Remus. But before he was pulled too far away, Tiger's eyes fell on one book.

"Amazing," he said, as he pulled the book off the shelf.

Draco ignored him, and pulled him along to the couch opposite of Remus and Lucius.

"We'll gladly join you," he said, as he glared at Tiger, who was engrossed in the book. He reached for the two glasses Lucius gave him, and poked Tiger in the ribs to take one.

"Oh, thanks." Tiger took the glass and swallowed the contents in one gulp. "Hm, that's good," he said without looking up. (Whom?) "Do you know that this book was thought to be forever lost, after the last known exemplar was destroyed in the Great Fire of London?"

He looked up when he got no answer, and found two disbelieving, and one amused face staring at him. "What?" He asked looking confused at the three.

"You just gulped down an expensive, 500 Galleon wine, and all you said was 'that's good'. You philistine," Draco said, disgusted. He stood up and looked down his nose at Tiger.

Blushing, Tiger looked from his empty glass to the other three, almost full ones. "Oh, sorry. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing; it's just that this book is really rare."

"Don't you think a 500 Galleon wine is rare, too?" Draco asked, annoyed. He sat down on a free armchair and ignored Tiger pointedly.

"Now, now, Draco," Lucius soothed his son. Actually, he, too, was a bit annoyed with Tiger's lack of knowledge of wine, but he'd noticed what book Tiger was talking about, and now he was watching the young man intently.

Tiger was once again engrossed in the book in his lap. He traced his fingers over the title of the book. "The Magic of the Serpent – by Salazar Slytherin."

"You can read it?" Lucius asked in disbelief, and walked over to sit beside Tiger. Remus had also noticed which book it was, and sat down on Tiger's other side.

"Of course I can read it," Tiger said. "Why shouldn't I?" He looked questioningly from Lucius to Remus.

"Because this is nothing more than lines and symbols to me," Lucius said, and Remus nodded in conformation.

"Then it is true," Tiger said, more to himself.

"What is true?" Draco asked, as he looked over from where he sat.

"It's written in Parseltongue," Remus said from Tiger's other side.

"But there isn't such a thing as written Parseltongue. Snake's can't write." Draco asked confused.

"Obviously there is," Tiger stated. "After all, Salazar himself wrote the book."

"Let's open it and see what's written in it." Remus said curiously.

"That won't be possible," Tiger said. "The book won't open." He demonstrated that he couldn't open the book, and after everyone had tried it without success, Tiger put the book aside and said. "I'm sure there is some kind of spell or password to open it, but that could take hours, if not days, to decipher. Let's just sit together and talk. And maybe drink some more of this exquisite wine?" Tiger smiled at Lucius innocently.

"Oh, no, you don't," Draco intercepted before Tiger could charm Lucius to do what he wanted. "Toby," he called, and with a pop a house elf appeared.

"Master Draco?"

"Please bring the cheapest bottle of wine for Master Tiger. He won't notice the difference anyway."

The house elf bowed, and popped away.

"That's not fair," Tiger pouted. He stood up and walked over to the other sofa where he sat with crossed arms.

Draco followed him, and sat beside him. "But the truth," he whispered in Tiger's ear, before he pulled him close to him.

Tiger struggled half-heartedly against him before he rested his head on Draco's shoulder, his arms wrapped around his waist.

"You two really look good together," remarked Remus from across the room.

"Thank you," Tiger mumbled against Draco's neck.

"He's a bit shy when directly talked to," Draco explained, and tightened his hold on Tiger.

"I'm tired," Tiger said against Draco's neck. "Do you think we should let them alone so they could talk some more?"

"But my 'Château Petrus'," Draco whined.

"Well then, stay," Tiger said, and sat up. Then in an afterthought he leaned back to Draco and whispered in his ear. "I'm going to take a shower. I thought you might want to join me, but if you don't want to..." He licked seductively over Draco's ear before he stood up.

"That's a good idea." Draco said instantly and he, too, stood. "We're going to bed. Enjoy the rest of the 'Château Petrus'." He looked longingly at his half full glass.

"Empty it or I will," Tiger said, and grabbed for the glass.

"Don't you dare," Draco said, and emptied his glass in one gulp. He moaned slightly from the taste of it.

"So good?" Tiger asked, smiling.

"Better," Draco replied, and before he knew it, had Tiger's lips glued to his.

"Mmh. You're right; it's really good." He licked his lips to capture the last traces of Draco and the wine. He turned to the adults and was about to say good night when he saw them looking each other deep in the eye. He indicated it to Draco, and the two left the room silently.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	28. the first match

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 28 – the first match**

Tiger woke to someone sucking on his neck. He moaned as this someone shifted until they were straddling him. He felt a prominent hardness press into him, and bucked up as his own member woke to greet its friend. Without opening his eyes, Tiger reached his hands out to his captor's arse to pull them even closer.

"Oh, good, you're awake," Draco said, as he pulled away from his boyfriend's neck and climbed off him. "Hurry up; we have a Quidditch match to win today. The others are already gone."

Growling, Tiger sat up and absentmindedly rubbed a hand over his now aching cock. "Why are you doing this to me?" he asked, as he watched the blond climb off the bed and open the curtains. He turned around and leaned over to whisper in Tiger's ear, licking the shell of it seductively.

"Because I can." He smirked at Tiger's pouting lips before he left the room for the showers.

Tiger grabbed his pillow and pressed it against his mouth as he let out a frustrated cry. Ever since their trip to Nice three weeks ago, Draco had started to tease Tiger in a way the dark haired boy himself loved to do. Over the last weeks it had become a contest of who got the other more frustrated. And at the moment, Tiger thought he would burst from unreleased tension.

"Didn't your little plaything let you have him?" A sneering voice startled Tiger. Groaning he put the pillow away and looked up at the intruder.

"Fuck off, Nott," he said, as he started to climb off the bed.

"Te, te." Nott scowled, and pushed Tiger back onto the bed." Aren't we a little bit too impolite?" He leaned down and pressed Tiger's hands to the mattress on either side of Tiger's head. "You know, I can help you with your little problem," he whispered in Tiger's ear, then looked down between them to indicate to Tiger what he meant.

"Thank you, but just being in your presence brought me off any kind of lust I had." Tiger joked defensively. Growling Nott pressed a hand down on Tiger's throat and leaned his head in close to him, his other hand now held both of Tiger's hands down.

"Listen here, you little whore. If I wanted to, I could snap your neck right now with one hand." He smirked triumphantly at the glimpse of fear in Tiger's eyes. "But I know something far better for you." He pressed a littler harder as Tiger tried to fight him off. Only when the dark haired boy's lack of air supply made him stop struggling did Nott loosen his grip. "Good boy." he taunted, and patted Tiger with his other hand on the cheek. "My father told me that our Lord has a special liking for tight young arses such as yours. I think I will tell him just how beautifully you scream when someone rams his cock up your dry hole." He reached between them and grabbed for Tiger's crotch, squeezing his member hard.

Just then Tiger grabbed for his last reserves, and with all his might, he pulled his knee up and rammed it full force in-between Nott's legs.

"Ah, you bastard," Nott cried out, and writhed in pain.

Tiger shoved him off of himself and scrambled to the head of the bed. He reached for his wand, but his hand was intercepted just a few inches away.

Nott was about to hit him with his other hand when Draco's voice came from the bathroom.

"Are you up yet?" he shouted. Tiger halted his defence and stared at the door, as if awaiting Draco to come out any second. Nott took the chance and grabbed his neck again.

"He won't come out just yet. I know your routine. He will call for you again, and warn you to not have fallen back asleep before he comes to get you; and you jump him the moment he arrives at the bed."

"Then you can imagine what he would do when he found you here." Tiger choked as he struggled against Nott. Just then, Draco called for the second time.

"Don't worry. I won't be here anymore when he arrives. And I know you won't tell him anything." He pressed once again hard down on Tiger's throat and leaned close to him. "You will pay for what you did to me," he promised, before he let go of Tiger and left the room.

Coughing, Tiger grabbed his wand and spoke a concealment charm on his throat before he turned on his side, his back to the door, pressed his knees against his chest and wrapped his arms around them.

"I warned you, Tiger Ryan." Draco's voice came from behind him, and Tiger stiffened as he felt a weight climb on the bed. He pressed his eyes shut and tried to even out his breath. "You've really fallen asleep," he blond whispered, and leaned down to press a kiss to Tiger's temple. "Wake up, sleeping beauty." He rolled Tiger on his back, and kissed him on the lips. Tiger's arms shot forward and pulled Draco in a tight embrace.

It took Draco a moment to realize what was happening. "Hey," he pulled far enough away to look his boyfriend in the eyes. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Softly he stroked Tiger's cheek, and captured the straying tears.

"It's nothing," Tiger mumbled against his neck.

"It's not 'nothing'. You're crying." Draco stroked his hand through Tiger's black hair.

"It's stupid. It was just a stupid dream," he lied, and pulled away from Draco.

"Do you want to talk about it?" the blond asked.

"No, it's okay," Tiger said, and stood up. "I'll take a quick shower. Wait for me?"

"'Til the end of time," Draco said, smiling, and all of a sudden he had an armful of Tiger on him, and his lips captured in a searing kiss.

"Thank you." Tiger pulled away as if nothing had happened and went into the bathroom.

Draco looked after him in concern.

-------

While in the shower, Tiger thought about the last few weeks. He had spent the best weekend of his life in Nice with Draco, Lucius and Remus. The morning after Lucius and Remus' reunion, the four had shared a pleasant breakfast, and the two adults had told them about their relationship. Later, the foursome lay together on the beach, and Tiger and Draco watched the other two play like little children in the water and mused whether they would still be together when they were that old.

After they returned to Hogwarts, Tiger's life had constant ups and downs. His relationship with Draco didn't get more public than it had, which resulted in them still getting offers from various pupils. Pansy, especially, was in total denial about their relationship. Although she saw them laying together on the common room couch often enough, she wouldn't comprehend what that meant.

What annoyed Tiger the most, was Draco's way to interact with her. Sometimes when he thought Tiger wasn't looking, did he embrace Pansy in a more than friendly way. And once or twice did Tiger saw him coming out of the corridor leading to the girls' dormitory.

Maybe that was the reason why he wouldn't stop flirting with Seamus when the Irish Gryffindor approached him. He loved the way Draco got jealous, and would ravish him the moment they went to bed and had closed the curtains. Those were the most precious times of the day.

Another positive constant of the last weeks was that Quidditch training had started. The Slytherin team was really good, and Tiger thought they might be able to win the Quidditch cup this year.

But for every positive there normally is a negative, and one of them was Professor Severus Snape.

Tiger had noticed the Potions Master was looking at him suspiciously lately when he went to the supplies cupboard to get ingredients, and sometimes he thought he was looking at him as if he remembered.

The boy had spoken to Remus and Lucius about his misgivings, and as the elder Malfoy heard the story, he had only one response.

Flashback

"Talk to him," Lucius said.

"Are you nuts?" Tiger and Remus exclaimed at the same time.

"He hates Harry Potter," Tiger said matter-of-factly.

"But he respects Tiger Ryan."

"Well, I think hate is stronger than respect when it comes to Severus Snape," Remus interjected.

"You're not helping, Remus," Lucius said evenly.

"But it's the truth," Tiger said.

"Trust me, Tiger. I know Severus Snape better than you two together. He will listen to you, and he will be rational in his reaction if you approach him in the right way."

"And what is the right way?" Tiger asked sceptically.

"That is for you to find out."

Flashback end

Tiger thought he had found the right way to approach the Potions Master, and he intended to talk to him sometime in the near future. But that didn't solve his other and far worse problem - Theodore Nott.

Ever since the day Nott overheard Tiger's conversation with Blaise about his feelings for Draco, the day after the Slytherin party, the dark-haired boy waited for a reaction from his fellow Slytherin. Tiger still thought that his Bludger accident was somehow Nott's doing, but he couldn't prove it. Nott had started to blackmail him the day they came back from their trip to Nice. It started with him threatening to tell Draco that he was only playing with him and had tried to seduce Blaise, and later, even Seamus Finnigan. At first Tiger did what Nott demanded for fear of losing Draco.

Despite his being a Slytherin, Nott made rather low demands of Tiger. He ordered Tiger to do his homework from every class, and to label Tiger's potions with Nott's name, while he himself would write Tiger's name on his half-heartedly made potions.

Because of this extra work and the beginning of the Quidditch training, Snape's detentions and his time with Draco, there was not one night when Tiger wouldn't lay awake long enough for Draco to fall asleep before he got up and start with his own homework; which, of course, had to be totally different from what he had already written for Nott.

He didn't get more then three hours sleep at night, and when he slept, his dreams were haunted by nightmares of Draco finding out that Nott was blackmailing him. The dreams were always the same: First Draco would ridicule Tiger for being such a weakling that he couldn't defend himself against someone like Nott. Then he had heard what Tiger was being blackmailed about and he would call him a whore that would bend over for everyone in the wizarding world as long as they had a cock, or something remotely the same to shove up his arse. He always woke up with the image of Draco and Nott laughing at him while holding each other's hand and kissing. Lately, thanks to Nott's new blackmail topic – to let Voldemort know just how good he looked under the shower, the last scene of his dream would be Draco laughing at him while he was bound naked to a bed, with Voldemort leaning over him about to claim him as his new toy.

Nott now insisted on him doing little chores like cleaning after him, or getting him something from the kitchen, additional to the homework, of course. And there had already been two demands for paying a huge amount of money.

When Nott wanted a third donation from Tiger's Gringott's vault, just last week, Tiger had, for the first time, refused.

Flashback

"What do you mean 'you can't pay'?" Nott asked furiously.

"I told you that I didn't have any money left." Tiger said desperately. "My uncle wasn't a rich man; you already have everything he left me."

"Don't be stupid, Ryan. You're living with one of the richest families. Ask them."

"Oh yeah, that would go so well. 'Lucius, Draco, could you please lend me ten thousand galleons so I could pay Theodore Nott, who is blackmailing me: threatening to tell you, Draco, that my feelings aren't what I pretend them to be. Oh, and of course to tell the Dark Lord just what a good whore I'd be,'" Tiger said mockingly. "I don't think that would be a good idea." In fact he still had all the money Lucius had given him on his birthday, but he couldn't empty it without someone getting suspicious.

"I hate to correct you, Tiger," Nott said innocently, "but I couldn't tell the Dark Lord what a good whore you are." He smiled at Tiger's confused look and leaned closer to him, where he had him pinned against a wall. "I would have to test it for myself, first," he whispered in Tiger's ear.

Panicking, Tiger shoved him forcefully away so that he landed against the opposite wall.

"Don't you dare touch me!" Tiger told the fallen boy. But before he could react, he was pinned against the wall again, and felt a fist land in his stomach. He bent over in pain, just to be pulled up by his hair in the next moment.

"Don't you dare do that again," Nott hissed in his face. The 'or you will regret it' was unnecessary to add. He slapped Tiger once, twice in the face, before he shoved him to the floor. "You have until tomorrow at midnight to get the money," he said, and added a kick to Tiger's ribs before he left the boy lying on the floor.

Flashback end

Tiger winced as bent down the wrong way to clean his lower body and felt the by now familiar pain from his ribs. He would have to take the potion again before the match, or he wouldn't stand a chance with all the pain he felt. The capitis sanare potion was by now a daily issue in Tiger's life, and on most days the only thing he would consume all day. He was reminded of that fact as he was stroking his aching side and could feel his ribs all too prominently – especially the one on his left side, which he assumed had been splintered at one point or other of his daily beatings from Nott over the previous week. His healing spells worked well on others but on himself they were almost ineffectual. He'd need to get himself fixed soon.

'Maybe after the match I need to see Madam Pomfrey anyway,' Tiger thought with a grim smile. 'I can just tell her that I was hit by a Bludger. She doesn't need to see my other injuries.'

Tiger had become really good at concealment charms, and had even found a potion that would make the concealed parts feel like whatever the charms made them look like. This only worked for others, he himself could still feel what the charms concealed. So Tiger never knew whether the potion really works but until now Draco had never mentioned his weight loss.

"Tiger."

"Tiger."

"Are you drowning yourself?" Still the dark haired boy didn't react. He had his head laid back against the shower wall, exposing his throat, which made his Adams apple stand out lovingly.

Draco couldn't resist the sight, and reached out a hand to trace over the bare flesh. He absently wondered why there was no mark where he had sucked Tiger's neck this morning, but all thought about that vanished as a shout from Tiger startled him.

"Don't touch me," the boy yelled, and backed away into the corner of the shower. He sank to the floor and wrapped his arms around his bent knees.

"Tiger?" Draco asked worriedly, and knelt in front of the other boy, ignoring the water soaking his clothes. For a moment he wondered if the water had run cold, or if it was intended to be chilly.

Tiger's eyes went wide when he saw who had tried to touch him. "Draco," he cried, and flung himself onto the Slytherin.

Taken by surprise, the blond landed on his back, with a crying Tiger in his arms – for the second time that day.

"Tiger, please, please, talk to me. What is wrong with you? Why are you crying?" He placed his hands on either side of his boyfriends face and pushed him gently away so that he could look him in the eye. "Please, love, tell me what's wrong with you."

"It's nothing," Tiger said quietly, avoiding Draco's eyes. "Just the nightmare."

"Don't tell me that nightmare crap again, Tiger; not without telling me what this nightmare was about," the blond said sharply.

Tiger whimpered at Draco's harsh tone. "Please don't make me, Draco. Please don't."

"I just want to help you, Tiger," Draco reasoned with his boyfriend. "Please let me help you, love."

Tiger felt warmth spread though his body at his words. He smiled slightly, and kissed Draco on the nose.

"There is no need to," he said, with all honesty he could muster.

"But you were crying," Draco defended his worry.

"Just a stupid nightmare," the dark haired boy said, as he traced his hands through the blond, wet locks of his boyfriend. "It's okay now. I promise." He smiled his innocent smile, and Draco's concern melted a bit.

"But if there should ever be something wrong…"

"I'll talk to you immediately," Tiger finished for him.

The blond embraced his boyfriend once more before they stood up and get dressed – or in Draco's cause changed – and went to breakfast.

While Draco was still styling his hair in the bathroom, Tiger went to his trunk in search of the wooden box which held the capitis sanare potion. He grabbed one vial, and emptied it without thought before he put it back and stared down at the box. 'That was the last vial,' he thought dejectedly. 'I'll have to brew it anew again.'

That would make the third cauldron full of capitis sanare potion since the incident with Snape. He had long since stopped trying to fool himself by eking out the doses – he'd simply taken two vials each time – and had even brewed the last cauldron with more arboris root than necessary.

'I'll have to raise the amount of arboris root once again. It just doesn't work anymore.' Tiger was startled out of his thoughts by the bathroom door slamming. He hurried to replace the box in his trunk, and locked it before he stood up and walked out of the room to join Draco.

They were so late that they only grabbed some toast and an apple each, and ate them on their way to the Quidditch pitch.

-------

"Welcome to the first Quidditch match of the year; Gryffindor vs. Slytherin…" Seamus Finnegan's voice sounded over the stands of the Quidditch pitch.

The crowd cheered as the door to the referee's room opened, and Madam Hooch stepped out with the box of Quidditch balls hovering behind her.

"And here are the teams!" Seamus' voice rose over the roaring fans of Gryffindor as the team entered the pitch. "For Gryffindor, I give you the beaters, Max O'Brian and Frank Peterson; the Chasers, Ginny Weasley, Lindsay Summer and captain Katie Bell, Keeper Ron Weasley, and the new Seeker, my favourite sister…"

"She is your only sister," McGonagall's stern voice sounded from behind him.

"Your point is?" Seamus smiled at her. "As I was saying; Gryffindor's new Seeker, Alex Finnigan."

The Gryffindor team flew one more lap before they landed, and the Slytherin team entered the pitch, accompanied by the cheering of their housemates, and a few from other houses.

"The beaters Smith and Nott, Chasers Anderson, Jones and Zabini. And here is the only reason I wake up every morning with a smile on my face. The image of my wet drams..."

"Finnigan," McGonagall snapped.

"Why, Professor McGonagall, I had no idea you'd such feelings for me." Seamus smiled at his head of house, but immediately turned back around when he saw her stern face.

"As I was saying: Slytherin's new Seeker, the lovely Tiger Ryan." His eyes followed said boy dreamily until a blond head blocked his view. "Oh, and their new captain and Keeper, Draco Malfoy," Seamus added, sounding bored.

Tiger smile at the scene in front of him. Draco was hovering in front of the Professors' stands - where Seamus Finnigan was commenting from – and glaring at the Irish Gryffindor.

Shaking his head, he flew over to his boyfriend and pulled him away. "Let's get down. You have to shake Katie's hand before we can start the match."

Glaring at Finnigan one last time, Draco flew down to the ground.

Tiger smiled at Seamus before he followed the blond. "Hello Seamus."

"Hello beautiful," Seamus voice sounded through the stadium.

Draco fumed and wanted to turn around, but Tiger grabbed him and flew with him to the ground. "Don't let him get to you," Tiger said. "He's just playing around, but I won't react to it." He leant closer and whispered in Draco's ear. "I'm yours."

"You are," Draco smirked. "But if this little…"

"Please Draco, calm down. He will try to provoke you, now that he knows how you'll react. Don't let him get to you."

They landed, and Madam Hooch called the captains to her to shake hands. After that everyone took back of in the air.

With a whistle Madam Hooch let the Snitch and Bludgers go and through the Quaffel in the air. The match began.

-------

"Ginny Weasley intercepts the Quaffel from Zabini, and starts off to the Slytherin goals."

Tiger listened to Seamus' commentating while he searched for the Snitch. He looked over to Alex, who was hovering near the Slytherin goals, and at the same time watched Draco catching Ginny's shot.

"Damn. Keep trying, Gin- Yes! Go, Alex, go!" Seamus cried, enthusiastically.

Tiger whipped around and watched Alex dive to the ground in the middle of the pitch, the Snitch right in front of her.

"Shit," Tiger swore and chased after her. He knew he wouldn't get there in time to catch the Snitch before Alex. He had only one chance.

Flying straight through the other players, he shot directly to the place where he presumed Alex to be when he reached her.

He brushed one player without noticing them losing balance and falling from their broom, and reached Alex in time to interfere with her grabbing the little gold ball.

Surprised, Alex spun around and would have fallen from her broom, if Tiger hadn't grabbed her arm and steadied her. The Snitch was long gone.

"You okay?" Tiger asked sheepishly.

"My supposed murderer rescued me," she laughed. "Thanks." She punched him on the arm. "Bastard."

Laughing, Tiger rubbed his sore arm. "I think I deserved that." They flew back up over the other players to look for the Snitch.

"Oh, man. That wasn't the gentleman's way, Tiger." Seamus' voice sounded a bit harsh. "You are a damn sexy piece of arse,…"

"Finnigan," McGonagall said warningly.

"…but this is my sister you're trying to kill, there. But keep knocking down your own team mates."

Tiger turned around and looked confused at the other players. Theodore Nott glared at him, and looked as if he had just had an encounter with the ground. "Oops," Tiger said sarcastically.

He turned around and concentrated on finding the Snitch.

Nearly one hour into the game and two almost catches later, the score said 60:50 for Slytherin. There had been almost fifty shots on the goals respectively, but both keepers were exceptional.

Just as Gryffindor offset the score, Tiger and Alex both spotted the Snitch at the same time. They flew from both ends of the pitch to the middle, where the Snitch hovered some fifty feet over the ground. Just when they reached the Snitch, it dived as if its wings had stopped working.

For a moment it seemed as if the time stood still. Both Seekers appeared to hover in the air as they looked each other in the eye. They smiled at the same time, and a moment later they dived after the Snitch.

Tiger took the lead and was almost at the Snitch, when there was a petrified shriek. Turning around, he had to duck to avoid a falling broom, followed by a falling Alex.

He was about to dive after her when he felt a black something fall onto him, and all went black. Within seconds he identified the blackness as a cloak. He tried to get rid of it, but Seamus' frantic voice calling for help for his sister made him react on instinct. He dived after Alex' crying voice, and blindly grabbed for what he hoped was one of her limbs.

The second he had a firm grip on the girl, he pulled his broom up. He felt his feet brushing the ground. A moment later the cloak was caught on something lying on the ground, and Tiger was roughly pulled back. He flew hard from his broom and landed on his back – Alex little form protectively cradled in his arms.

In no time there was a crowd around them and helped Alex to her feet, after making sure that she was all right.

"Tiger!" Draco fell to his knees beside his still prone boyfriend, and stroked a strand of hair out of his face. "Tiger, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Tiger smiled, but when he tried to move, he grimaced.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked concerned.

"I can't move."

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


	29. revenge

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.

Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read '**Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack**' …

Rating: R

This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.

The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.

/-

/-

/-

I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.

/-

/-

/-

Hope you enjoy it!

/-

/-

/-

**Chapter 29 – revenge**

/-

/-

/-

"What do you mean, you can't move?" Draco asked frantically. "You said you weren't hurt. You have no pain."

"I don't have pain. I just can't move."

"Madam Pomfrey?" Draco looked worriedly at the mediwitch who as now examining Tiger.

"It seems as if he can't feel his legs," she said, concerned.

"Nonsense." Tiger laughed, and carefully started to move. He put his hands under his back, and with some difficulty in placing his hands correctly, he pushed himself up.

"Ha!" he yelled, as he raised one hand in the air.

"Would you please explain what this act was about?" Draco looked down at him angrily.

"As I said," Tiger began as he stood up and took a step closer to Draco, "I couldn't move. I would have lost this." He smiled as he opened his fist to reveal the Golden Snitch. "I felt it under me when I landed on the ground. We won." Before he knew what happened, Tiger was hit in the face, and fell to the ground.

"Bastard!" Draco spat at him, before he turned around and left the Quidditch Pitch.

"Draco!" Tiger started to follow his boyfriend, but was stopped by Seamus and Alex Finnigan.

"Thank you for rescuing my baby sister," Seamus said, as he swung his arms around his little sister.

"If it weren't for you I might have died," Alex added in a still shocked voice.

"Everything went so fast that no one could react," Seamus explained. "Nott was flying after the Bludger, and the next moment his robe was falling down and…"

Tiger wasn't listening anymore because he had spotted Nott, who was laughing with Pansy while he put his robe back on. Nott caught Tiger staring at him, and winked as he dramatically grabbed the clasp of his robe and mouthed a shocked 'oh', and put a hand over his mouth as he watched his robe fall to the ground.

Tiger's anger rose and he was about to go over to Nott, but Blaise stopped him.

"Don't do anything you will regret later."

"But he did it on purpose," Tiger growled.

"Do you have any proof? Are you willing to explain to Dumbledore why Theodore would do something like that, to a fellow Slytherin, nonetheless?" Blaise looked at him indignantly.

'He knows,' Tiger thought, with a questioning frown upon his face.

Blaise nodded in answer to Tiger's unasked question. "Before you do anything, go after Draco. Talk to him. Tell him what's going on."

"I can't." Tiger gasped.

"You can, and you must. You'll need him. He will understand everything." Blaise patted him on the shoulder, and left. "Do it the Slytherin way," he whispered in Tiger's ear as he passed him on his way to the Finnigan siblings. Tiger had arranged for Blaise and Seamus to go to the Halloween ball together. Ever since Seamus had asked, the two were almost inseparable.

Tiger watched the two boys for a moment, then his green eyes locked with Nott's, who was watching him again with an arched eyebrow.

'Do it the Slytherin way.' Blaise' advice lingered in his ear.

An idea formed in his head and he smirked at Nott, whose face fell at the sudden change in Tiger.

With a nod at his tormentor, Tiger turned around and walked back to the castle in search of a fuming blond Slytherin.

-------

"Draco, can we talk?" Tiger stood in the doorway to the Dragon's lair. Draco was sitting on the windowsill of the magical window that was located opposite the entrance. The view today was from high above, down onto the lake – probably from the Astronomy Tower.

When the blond didn't answer, Tiger walked up to him until he was a few feet away.

"I'm sorry for scaring you like that," he said softly. "I didn't think when I made that comment. I didn't intend to hurt you in any way."

"No?" Draco turned around.

Tiger gasped, as he saw the tearful expression on the blond.

"You did a pretty good job for not intending to." Draco got of the windowsill and stood facing Tiger. "Do you have any idea how I felt when you told me you couldn't move? I was devastated, Tiger. I feared for you. And then you just stood up and held that damn Snitch in your hand."

He turned away, as new tears threatened to fall. "When I saw you fall, I thought you'd die. I thought I would lose you for good, Tiger." He turned back to face Tiger, and was now only a few inches away from his boyfriend's face.

Slowly, Tiger raised a hand and stroked the tears away from his boyfriend's cheeks. "I'm sorry," he whispered, before he pulled the blond into his arms. "I'm an unthinking, stupid prat," he whispered in Draco's ear. "I promise I will never do anything as stupid as that again. I'll make sure that Nott will never again come between us again."

"Nott?" Draco asked, confused, as he pulled away from Tiger.

Tiger froze, as he realized what he was about to reveal.

"Shh..." He pulled the blond back into his embrace, but Draco wouldn't let go of the topic.

"Don't you 'shh' me," he said, as he glared at Tiger. "What does Nott have to do with this? What is it you have against him, Tiger? You've repeatedly hinted that you don't like him. What aren't you telling me? I thought we could tell each other everything. Why do you have secrets from me?" He took Tiger's hands in his, and looked at him, concerned.

"Oh, yes. Nice show, Draco." Tiger pulled his hands away angrily.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, confused.

"Mr. 'I sneak out of bed the moment my stupid boyfriend is asleep, and go meet with Pansy in the common room'."

"How?" Draco asked, stunned, but Tiger didn't reply to his question.

"Don't you think you're a bit hypocritical? I don't know what game you're playing, but I know that I've never willingly let Nott touch me, let alone kiss me." His voice had risen to a scream at the end of his speech. He stared at Draco angrily until he realised what he just said.

"Oh, god." Tiger turned around to run out of the room, but Draco was there already, and blocked the exit.

They looked at each other for a long time, not saying anything; not moving. Tears streamed down both their faces.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Draco softly said, "We need to talk." He held out his hand to Tiger.

Tiger was startled as the blond broke the silence. He nodded and took the offered hand.

Draco led him over to the fireplace, where they snuggled together on the couch and started to talk.

-------

"I will kill him," Draco declared. He had been mutely pacing the lair for the past ten minutes. Now he was standing in front of Tiger, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head bent low.

"No, you won't," the dark haired boy said softly.

"Why the hell not?" Draco shouted angrily.

"Because he will get what is coming for him." Tiger looked up at his boyfriend, mischief glowing in his eyes. "I will do it the Slytherin way."

"You have a plan." Draco sounded intrigued. Tiger only smirked, and was answered by Draco with his own smirk. "Do tell…"

-------

"Ryan." Tiger briefly closed his eyes in anticipation, before he turned around to face the intruder.

"Nott," he nodded in greeting.

"What do you want? Why did you call me up here?" Nott asked, annoyed.

"To talk to you in private."

"And there is no other place between the dungeons and the Astronomy Tower where we could do that?"

"We can always go talk about it in the Great Hall, idiot."

"Now listen here, you little shit," Nott said, grabbing Tiger by the neck and shoving him against the wall, pressing hard down on his air supply, "stop being a cheeky arse, or I will stuff yours," he hissed dangerously in Tiger's ear, "Potter." He hardened his grip even more before he let go, and shoved Tiger to the floor.

"Then do it." Tiger choked out, after Nott released him.

"What?"

"You want to fuck me? Then do it." Tiger stood up, and pulling a small vial out of his pocket, held it out to Nott. "If this is the only way to stop you from hurting others because of me, then do it." A tear ran down Tiger's cheek. "Just stop harassing me."

"My, my. How Gryffindor of you, Potter. Who had thought that the Golden Hero, the Boy Who Lived, is nothing more than a slut." Nott took the vial from Tiger. "What is that?"

"Lubricant." Tiger said in a small voice.

"You don't really think I'll prepare you, do you, Potter?"

"Stop calling me that, and get on with it," Tiger growled between gritted teeth. "Just lube yourself. It will be enough," he started to undo his shirt.

"Eager, aren't we?" Nott joked nastily

"Just get it over with." Tiger finished with his shirt. and continued with the trousers.

"What, no foreplay?"

"Fuck you, Nott." Taking off his pants, Tiger stood naked in front of the other boy.

"No, Potter; fuck you." Nott stared at him for a moment before he opened his robe and pulled his trousers down. "Bend over the balustrade, Potter. Enjoy the view, while I fuck you hard."

Slowly Tiger bent over the balustrade, praying it would be over soon.

"I hope you haven't made the lube yourself, Potter. I remember your lack of Potion skill." Tiger heard a slick sound, and a moan from Nott. "Oh, this feels good. Just one last question, Potter, before I ram myself into you; what guarantee do you have that I won't ask such a 'favour' from you again?"

Tiger turned around and smiled at Nott. Just then the boy's face paled, and became an expression of pure horror and pain.

"This," Tiger stated simply, and watched as Nott hurriedly tried to clean his member of the 'lube'.

"Fuck. What did you do to me, Potter?" Nott cursed as he all but clawed at his hurting penis. "This itches, and… Ah…!" He sank to the floor as a new sensation overwhelmed him.

"Burns?" Tiger asked, with a smile.

"You bastard: I'll kill you!" Nott pulled his wand out of his robe and held it in a trembling hand towards Tiger, but the dark haired boy didn't even flinch.

"I don't think so." Just then Nott let out an earth-shattering scream, and dropped his wand. "Oh, that must hurt," Tiger said in mock pity. "A hundred little knives, cutting away. Ouch."

"Please. Please," Nott sobbed. "Make it stop."

"Let me think about it for a moment." Tiger stroked his chin in concentration before he looked back down at the whimpering boy. "No."

"Oh, my god." Nott raised his hands from his cock to reveal a bloody mass. "Please, I promise I won't tell anyone who you really are. Just make it stop. Ah." He screamed once again as he felt the burning begin again, just a thousand times worse.

"That is the last effect of my little potion; salt water over the open wounds." Tiger watched, as Nott writhed on the floor.

"Please. I won't tell," Nott whimpered, in a small voice.

"I'm sure you won't," Tiger said, smirking down at him, "especially with the little side effect this potion has."

"What?" Nott gasped.

"Every time you even so much as think about my secret, these effects will start anew."

"You're insane, Pott- Ah…!"

"See? I warned you." Tiger smiled.

"And just to be on the safe side…" A blond head appeared out of thin air, followed by the rest of Draco's body. "_Obliviate_!" He pointed his wand at Nott, who had finally fallen unconscious after the second round of the potion's attack.

Draco looked over at Tiger who was still standing there totally naked, with tears running freely down his cheeks.

"For a moment I thought he wouldn't accept the lube, and just take me dry." Tiger let out a pained sob before his legs gave 'way to exhaustion, and he sank to the floor.

Just before he would have landed hard on his bottom, Draco was there and caught him in his arms.

"Shh. It's over. Shh, Tiger. Everything will be alright." Draco helped him stand up, and made sure Tiger wouldn't fall without his support. Then he removed his robe and wrapped it around his shaking boyfriend, before he pulled him back into his embrace.

They stood there for a long while, until Tiger finally pulled far enough away to look into Draco's eyes. "You won." He smiled slightly at the confused looking blond.

"What?"

"Our bet. You won. I'm wearing a robe. And Halloween isn't until tomorrow."

A bright smile formed on Draco's face as he led his 'slave for a week' away from the Astronomy Tower, and down to the dungeons.

-------

Flashback

"I don't understand. How did he know?" Draco asked, confused.

"Remember the day we overslept, two weeks ago?" Tiger was staring at the Golden Snitch in his hand, which he had forgotten to return to Madam Hooch.

The Snitch didn't really move. It lay in Tiger's hand with its wings hanging down. Occasionally the wings would twitch, and then sink again, as if the Snitch was sighing.

"Which one?" Draco joked.

Tiger looked up at him and smiled slightly. The Snitch made a sudden move, and flew once around the boys' heads before it settled back down in Tiger's hand.

"It was the day when we had Potions first period. We were going to brew dyeing elixir."

"You teased me the day before that I was dyeing my hair, and we mock fought," Draco remembered, with a smile on his face. "It was the first time we…" His smile grew even more at the memory. "You wanted to examine my 'lower' hair to be sure whether it was my true hair colour."

"Oh, yes, but I was distracted almost immediately," Tiger smirked mischievously, and leaned closer to Draco to whisper in his ear. "You tasted so good." His lips brushed the other's cheek.

A shiver of delight ran down the blond's spine, and he leaned into the caress. He turned his head slightly and kissed Tiger softly on the lips.

"Let me return the favour," he said softly against his boyfriend's lips.

"Not until the Nott problem is solved," Tiger answered determinedly.

Draco pulled away apologetically. "Sorry. I didn't mean to pressure you."

"You weren't," Tiger replied as he stroked the blond's cheek, "just, let's get all this crap out of the way, and I will accept your offer eagerly." They kissed once more before Tiger continued to talk.

"The morning after our little hair examination we overslept quite long, and we had to really hurry. You were in the showers, waiting for me, and called something like 'Hurry up, Potter, or Sev will see to it that you really die.'

"The next thing I knew, Nott was standing in front of me." Tiger stopped for a moment as the memory of that day came back to him. "We thought everybody was already gone, but apparently we were wrong: like so many other times over the last few weeks."

The last part was only whispered, but Draco heard, nonetheless. "What do you mean by that?" The blond asked, confused.

The dark haired boy closed his eyes before he spoke. "He's been blackmailing me ever since we came back from Nice."

"What? Why? What about?"

"He overheard a conversation between Blaise and me." Tiger lowered his head, not willing to face the hurt he knew would appear in the blond's eyes the moment he continued. "I told Blaise what you told me the day before that; that you were falling for me."

"That was the day of the Quidditch tryouts, when you weren't in class all morning," Draco remembered. "What did you talk about?"

"I told Blaise about what I was feeling for you - or not feeling." Slowly Tiger raised his head. Yes, there was the look of hurt.

"Lack of feelings?" Draco choked out.

"No, not lack." Tiger reached out a hand and stroked Draco's cheek soothingly. "Never lack. Just…uncertainty. Maybe even a bit of fear. I was shocked when you admitted what you did. I mean, we were fooling around, but I didn't know it was so serious on your part. I hadn't dared to hope so."

They looked at each other for a long while. Tiger still had his hand on Draco's cheek; then, as if someone had told them to, they leaned closer at the same time, and their lips met in a soft, loving kiss.

"Is that what Nott was blackmailing you about?" Draco asked, as the kiss ended.

"At first it was. He wanted money or he would have told you. Then when I couldn't pay any more, he started to beat me and touch me."

"Touched?" Draco exclaimed. "Don't tell me he…"

"No, he wanted - or he 'offered' - to test me for the Dark Lord." Tiger was shrinking down into himself, his legs pulled against his chest, and arms wrapped around them. "This morning while you were showering he came into my bed, and-" He stopped as a big sob escaped his throat. "He pressed me onto the bed and held my hands above my head." Tears were running down his cheeks.

Draco didn't know what to say. He wanted to hug Tiger close to him, but feared the scared boy would shy away from him. Instead, he sank to the floor and knelt in front of his hurting boyfriend, and rubbed soothingly over his lower legs.

Tiger continued. "I couldn't fight him off. Then he pressed a hand on my throat, cutting off my air supply. He threatened to fuck me, and then he grabbed me down there." His voice broke at the last sentence.

Draco couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and lifted the sobbing boy in his arms. Carrying him over to the bed, he lay down, with Tiger secure in his arms.

The dark haired boy didn't resist, but welcomed the comfort the blond gave him.

They were silent for a long while, until Draco's fear of the unknown overwhelmed him. He stroked Tiger's tears away, and looked him in the eye. "Did he… Did he go any further than touching?" To his utter surprise, a small smile crept onto Tiger's face.

"Even if he had tried, he wouldn't have been able to. Not after the kick he had to endure."

"Thank god." Draco kissed Tiger softly on the forehead.

"That's the reason the accident on the Quidditch Pitch happened," Tiger continued in a steady voice.

"You meant Nott did it on purpose?" Draco roared, and jumped off the bed. The level of explosion finally reached breaking point. He started to pace back and forth, swearing under his breath.

"I will kill him."…

Flashback end

/-

/-

/-

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

/-

/-

/-

A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?


	30. confession

**Tiger & Dragon**

**By loverstouch**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.**

**Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …**

**Rating: R**

**This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me. **

**The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP. **

**I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 30 - confession**

In the wee hours of Halloween one lone figure wandered the halls of Hogwarts with a mission. Tiger Ryan was on his way to his head of house to calm his conscience and to ask for help.

Tiger knew Professor Snape was already awake. He always was. The Potions Master had often caught Tiger - and Harry, too – out in the corridor at this time of the day.

Now Tiger was on his way to his office to finally confess what really happened all those weeks ago when Professor Snape had lost his memory.

The young Slytherin had been awoken in the dead of the night by a terrible nightmare, in which he hadn't had the strength to fight of Nott's assault on the Astronomy Tower balcony. He had screamed and tried but Nott had succeeded in forcing himself on the smaller boy.

Gasping Tiger had woken up with a terrible headache.

Carefully he had unwound himself from his sleeping boyfriend's arms and grabbed his wand from the bedside table. After taking the wooden box, which contained the capitis sanare potion out of his trunk, he sneaked out of the dorm and to the shower room.

Sitting down on the small bench in the corner, Tiger opened the box and pulled out one of the small vials. He gulped the contents down immediately.

Slumping back against the wall, Tiger waited for the longed-for relief from the pain, but when it finally took effect it was almost unnoticeable.

At once he grabbed for a second vial and opened the stopper. But when he raised the vial to his lips he halted, suddenly overcome by a series of flashbacks.

/ "How long have you taken the potion already?" A stern voice asked from the doorway….

"I don't know what you're talking about." ….

"Don't play dumb, Ryan." Snape said as he grabbed Tiger's shoulder and pulled the boy around to face him. "Look at me." Snape snapped when Tiger still tried to avert his eyes.

Slowly Tiger raised his head and looked the Potions Master in the eye.

"You stupid boy," Snape snarled. "Your eyes are shining. How much did you take? And don't lie to me." … "The whole vial?" Snape asked, shocked.

Tiger nodded.

"That must have been at least a double dose." …

"Triple," Tiger whispered as he took the vial back and put it into the box. "Sometimes I take two vials, undiluted." /

/ "Look at me, Tiger." …

"How dare you invade my mind while I'm sitting here about to totally break down and you just use Occlumency on me?" …

"Potter?" /

/ "I will make sure that you won't come near Draco again. You won't use Draco's feelings for you to keep his father loyal to that old fool. Even if I have to tell everyone the truth."

"You won't." …

"Stupefy." … Snape was thrown back against the wall with full force. His head hit the wall with a sickening sound. …

"Oh my god." /

The clatter of broken glass brought him back to reality.

"Oh, my god," he said, looking down at his bleeding hand as if in trance, "what have I done?" Automatically, he started to pull small pieces of broken glass out of his hand, not noticing the pain it caused him.

After a long while in which he'd sat there almost motionless, Tiger stood up, and with a swish of his wand he was fully clothed. He put the wand in his pocket, grabbed the wooden box, and made his way out of the shower room, out of the dorms, and out of Slytherin house.

Now he was standing in front of Professor Snape's office, the box under one arm and his injured, still slightly bleeding hand was pressed against his chest. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his free hand and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

A bit hesitantly, Tiger opened the door and stepped in.

"Mr. Ryan," Snape sneered, "pray tell why you are…" He stopped short when he saw the expression on the boy's face, and the bleeding hand pressed against his chest.

"What happened?" he demanded to know. He stood and walked around his desk. "Sit down," he ordered Tiger into a free chair. "Tell me, boy, what happened?" Snape took Tiger's hand in his and inspected the injury.

"I need to talk to you." Tiger spoke for the first time since he'd arrived.

Snape looked up at him annoyed. "I have daily office hours, Mr. Ryan. You didn't have to injure yourself to get my attention."

"I'm sorry." Tiger said too sincerely to just mean his inappropriate appearance.

If Snape noticed anything he didn't comment on it, though.

"You will be sorry when I heal your hand with ignis sanare potion." He summoned the potion from his private lab.

Tiger only shrugged and said again, "I'm sorry."

"Whatever for?" Snape snapped, annoyed as he splashed the healing salve on Tiger's hand. The boy hissed in pain, but didn't comment on the burning feeling in his hand.

"I… I have to tell you something," Tiger stammered.

"That much I figured out myself, Mr. Ryan." Snape sneered down at the boy after he had charmed a bandage around his hand. "Would you please tell me what brought you here at this hour of the day?"

"I hexed you," Tiger blurted out before he could think of what he was saying.

"What are you talking about, boy?" Snape stood straight and glared down at the young Slytherin.

"Remember the day I was in the hospital wing to get a headache potion?"

"Quite."

"You went after me when I left because you wanted to talk to me."

"I can't remember what I wanted to tell you," Snape said thoughtfully. He felt a headache coming on as he tried to remember. "What else happened that day?" He walked back around his desk and sat down. He rubbed his temples in annoyance as the pain increased. "I want to know everything."

Tiger took a deep breath before he started his tale. He told Snape everything from how the Professor found him in the shower to the moment he hexed him. He told him when he first took the potion and why he had to increase the dose until he finally got addicted to it. He never mentioned the name Harry Potter but Severus was watching him suspiciously now.

"I'm really sorry, sir," Tiger concluded, his head bowed in shame.

"I still can't remember what happened that day," Snape said eventually, "but after what you just told me I have a disturbing supposition."

Tiger looked up at him, fear and shame clearly in his eyes. "You may use Occlumency on me sir, to confirm your suspicion," he said slowly, but please, I beg you, please let me explain what you'll see afterwards. Please don't jump to conclusions. I promise I will answer all your questions, even under Veritaserum, if you so wish."

Tiger lowered his head in his hands as he felt the pain in his head increase again. His hand automatically reached for the wooden box on the desk but a strong hand stopped him.

Tiger looked up into onyx eyes. "Whatever I find out about you now," Snape said in a sincere voice, "I will help you with your problem. Whenever you need me…"

"Thank you, sir." Tiger smiled slightly in appreciation.

Releasing the boy's hand, Snape took a step back and pulled out his wand. "Ready?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be," Tiger answered, and slowly stood up to face his head of house.

"Legilimens."

Tiger concentrated not to block Snape as he felt the man invade his mind. He was used to doing the opposite now. Allowing someone to see his memories was a great difficulty and cost him a lot of strength.

Tiger felt Snape searching for a particular memory, looking into some, but immediately backing away as he noticed it was the wrong one.

When he finally stopped at the one of the day he lost his memory, Snape held onto that image and watched what else happened that day.

Tiger held his breath as they reached the moment where Snape used Legilimency and found out that he was Harry Potter. He felt tears prickle in his eyes as he heard the Professor bellow furiously.

In the back of his mind Tiger heard the Potion Master's confused voice ask "How?" With that started a series of memories beginning with Harry being rescued from the Dursleys by Lucius and Draco, and showed fragments of how Tiger Ryan came to life and how Draco, Lucius and Tiger started to come up with a history for the dark haired youth.

Tiger felt his strength leaving him and he sank down to the floor. He felt Snape pulling away, but he wanted to show the man some more memories. He grabbed the invading mind and fought to hold it in place. He searched a moment for the right memories, and then sent a series of pictures of him and Draco to the professor. He showed him how much he loved Draco and how important the boy was to him.

Only when he felt he couldn't hold on any longer did Tiger allow Snape to leave his mind. Tiger slumped to the floor and groaned as the pain shot into his head.

"You're still a foolish Gryffindor, Potter."

Tiger winced at the snarled words of the Potion Master. He flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on; let's get you up off the floor." Two strong hands helped him off the floor and into the chair he'd previously sat in.

Tiger heard the Potion Master leave, and when he didn't come back after a few minutes, he looked up. The room was empty, but when his gaze fell on the desk, he found the wooden box still there.

He thought about drinking one last vial: his headache was killing him. He looked around when there was still no sign of Professor Snape, and then he reached for the box. He opened it and took out one vial before he placed the box back on the desk.

Tiger looked at the vial with tears in his eyes. The pain was unbearable. He raised the potion to his lips, but then he stopped as he remembered Professor Snape's words. 'Whenever you need me…' His hand was trembling terribly as he fought against his addiction. Finally he overcame his weakness and pulled his hand away from his mouth. The vial flew from his hand and shattered on the stone floor.

"Snape, help me." Tiger cried as another wave of pain hit him, knocking him out for a few seconds.

When he opened his eyes again Tiger saw Professor Snape re-entering the room, a still steaming goblet in his hand.

Snape observed the scene in front of him. Tiger/Potter – whoever – was sitting in the chair, his legs pulled up against his chest, and his head buried between his knees, arms wrapped around his legs. On the floor were pieces of broken glass, which obviously had once been a vial, in a small puddle.

He walked over to the boy and held the goblet out to him. "Drink it," he commanded.

Tear-filled green/blue eyes looked up at him as Tiger accepted the potion but wouldn't drink it.

"You have to drink it as long as it is hot. Otherwise it won't work."

"What is it?" Tiger asked softly. "I don't want to take any more potions."

"I can see that," Snape said as he looked down at the wet spot on the floor.

"Sorry about that," the boy mumbled.

"Better on the floor than in your system," the Professor replied surprisingly gently.

Tiger looked at him, confused.

"Drink the potion. It will help with your headache, and won't have any side effects."

Tiger stared at him a moment longer before he drank the potion. He sighed in relief as he felt the pain subside.

"Thank you."

He handed the goblet back to Snape, who put it on the desk before he pulled out his wand and vanished the mess on the floor. With another swish of his wand, the wooden box flew through the door Snape had come from. Then he sat down behind his desk and observed Tiger for a long while.

The boy squirmed under the intense stare. When it looked as though the professor wouldn't be speaking any time in the near future, Tiger broke the silence.

"I know you don't want me here anymore after what you just learned about me."

Snape raised a questioning eyebrow, but didn't say a word, so Tiger continued. "My detention for improper clothing is over anyway. Draco won the bet. I wore a robe yesterday." He winced at the memory of the day before, but went on before Snape could say anything. "Unless you want to give me detention for what I did just now. But I'm sure it would be better if I served them with Filch instead."

"I want you to know that whatever I did to you over the last few month was not some kind of revenge from Harry Potter for treating me like you did in previous years. It was solely Tiger Ryan teasing you because this damn potion the Malfoys gave me made me more reckless."

"I swear whatever I did was my fault alone. It had nothing to do with Draco in any way. Please don't hate him for what I did. They couldn't tell you who I really was. Dumbledore said it was better that few knew the truth."

"I, too, insisted on not telling you, because at the time we first met, I already knew that Draco meant a lot to me and I feared that if you knew the truth you might try to stop us getting together; which, I might add, you did anyway at the beginning." He stopped to take a deep breath, but before he could continue, Snape spoke.

"Are you quite finished with your rambling?" His voice sounded a bit amused.

Tiger blushed slightly and nodded.

"Good. Now tell me how your headache is?"

Tiger stared at him as if he'd just told him there was no such thing as magic, and he totally believed it. "What? Eh," he shook his head to clear it, "it's a lot better. Almost gone. Thank you, sir."

Snape inclined his head. "This potion is called liberare dolor. It is very potent, but it is only effective when it's drunk immediately after brewing. That's why it isn't used often. It has to be freshly brewed every time it is needed. Fortunately it only takes fifteen minutes for it to be finished."

"And you brewed it just for me?" Tiger asked in disbelief.

"Why wouldn't I?" Snape raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Because I'm Ha-"

"First and foremost, you're my student. Whether you are Harry Potter or Tiger Ryan or, gods forbid, Neville Longbottom, you are my student; and as that, I'm obligated to help you."

"Obligated to help me," Tiger mumbled. "Why else would he want to help me?"

"Potter." Snape looked at him angrily.

"Don't call me that," Tiger snapped. "I'm not Harry Potter anymore." He stood up and walked over to the door. "I know you can't treat me like you did before you knew. I don't expect it from you."

He took a deep breath before he continued. "I can't say I will never take this potion again, but I will try, and I hope I'll be strong enough to fight the addiction. I don't have any left, so if you'd keep the arboris root locked away somewhere I'm not able to get to I'd appreciate it greatly." He turned and opened the door. Before he stepped out he turned once again to face his Professor.

"Please don't tell anyone," he begged before he turned and left the room.

"My offer still stands," Snape's voice rang through the empty room. "Whenever you need me…"

-------

Tiger went back to the Slytherin common room and back to his dormitory. It was still quiet early, despite he had been gone for over an hour, and everyone was still asleep.

He passed the empty bed of Theodore Nott, who hadn't returned from their 'meeting' the night before, and over to his own bed. He smiled down at the blond figure lying there sprawled out. With a flick of his wand, Tiger undressed and crawled back into bed with Draco.

"Mmh. Where have you been?" Draco's sleepy voice asked as he snuggled closer to Tiger.

"Wandering around. Thinking," the dark haired boy replied.

"About what happened yesterday?"

"Yes," Tiger lied.

Draco pulled away to lean on his elbow, and looked down at Tiger. "Everything is okay, now." He stroked his other hand through Tiger's hair. "No one else knows about you who would betray your trust."

Tiger closed his eyes for a moment before he answered, "Yes, you're right."

Draco smiled and placed a kiss to Tiger's lips. "Let's get back to sleep. It's still early and I want you to still be fit at midnight, when I intend to redeem our bet. I love you, Tiger." He kissed his boyfriend on the cheek before he lay down and went back to sleep.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

**A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?**


End file.
